PEOPLE in Christchurch are being asked to support a local children's charity threatened with closure.

Residents have formed a Community Interest Company (CIC) to help keep the Christchurch Activities for Young People (CAYP) in business but now need help supporting the charity long-term.

Funding from Dorset County Council will be cut on March 31.

The charity offers a programme of events for 5-16-year-olds during the school holidays including sport, drama, music and cooking classes as well as day trips and residential visits to Weymouth, London, Cornwall and Wales.

And now, the newly-formed CIC is looking to users to continue their support or face losing the centre.

In the past, funding for CAYP, which amounts to around £50,000 a year, has been raised through grants, bids and charitable organisations such as Christchurch Rotary, Round Table and Christchurch Lions.

Current co-ordinator of CAYP and one of the CIC's directors, Jae Harris, said: "CAYP diverts young people away from negative forms of behaviour into positive activities.

"It has provided them with a safe structured environment where they can learn and develop new skills.

"It is vitally important that we continue to offer this facility to the youngsters of Christchurch at a time when the numbers of young people has increased by facilities and resources have not."

He added that although Christchurch is usually seen as an affluent area, there are pockets of social deprivation, with some wards falling into the top 20 per cent of deprived areas in the country.

Mark Merritt, chairman of the CAYP CIC said: "We want to achieve a seamless transition from CAYP being managed by Dorset County Council to being run by the CIC."

For more information contact lyn.moreland@btinternet.com