Charity funding boost

A Hamilton charity which provides volunteer befrienders for vulnerable young people has been given a cash boost.

Covey Befriending are celebrating after picking up a £81,542 grant from Young Start.

And Christina Mckelvie – MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse – was also delighted to hear the news.

She said: “I am so very pleased. This is a really fantastic group that is delivering at community level, where it needs to be. The work they do is truly inspirational and is a perfect example of a brilliant community-based organisation responding to the needs around it.

“This grant allows the group funding to continue to deliver their Covey ANGELS (Additional Needs Gaining Experience for Life Skills). To me, that is more than important, it’s essential. This is a project that will provide weekly befriending and support through group activities for young people aged 12 to 19 with additional support needs.

“Young volunteers aged 16-18 will be recruited from local schools and will help to facilitate sessions and provide mentoring for other young people. Up to 20 young people and 14 volunteers from South Lanarkshire will benefit.

“I do think that Covey Befriending is precisely the kind of local initiative that is so very valuable to our communities.”

Go online to www. coveybefriending.org.uk.