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BEFRIEND A CHILD SCOOPS RBS COMMUNITY FORCE WINDFALL

Local children’s charity, Befriend A Child, is celebrating this week after receiving a major cash boost from a national initiative.

The charity – which provides a one-to-one befriending service for vulnerable and underprivileged youngsters in Aberdeen City and Shire – has received £6,000 from the Royal Bank of Scotland Community Force scheme.

Befriend A Child was one of over 1,000 applicants from across the country for the initiative – which saw the Scottish public vote for the causes they believed were most deserving of the money in their area. Only 82 good causes across Scotland and indeed just three organisations in Aberdeen and Angus received an award.

Chief Executive of Befriend A Child, Karen Farquhar, said receiving the money was a fantastic way to round off what had been an amazing 2011 for the organisation.

She said: “This money will help us cope with the continued growing demand for our services in 2012. We are at an all-time high in terms of the number of referrals we are receiving, and the RBS Community Force award will enable us to move more youngsters off our waiting list and into a trusting relationship with one of our adult volunteer befrienders.

“I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who took the time to vote for us to receive this money – I can assure them that it will be put to very good use.”

Established in 1975, Befriend A Child is Scotland’s oldest befriending service for disadvantaged children. Working with social workers, care homes, health visitors and other charities, Befriend A Child supports youngsters aged 4-16 and continues to work with them up until the age of 18, if required.

The scheme became a registered charity in 1991 and in 2010 worked with almost 170 children in Aberdeen City – its largest number to date. It has recently expanded its services into Aberdeenshire for the first time.

Further information about Befriend A Child is available at www.befriendachild.org.uk

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