A CHARITY dedicated to helping young people in and around Tranent is able to continue providing its services thanks to a generous donation from Children in Need.

Recharge, based on Church Street, was awarded £56,754 from the charity’s ‘Covid-19 Next Steps Fund’.

The money will allow it to continue and develop the support it gives to young people over the next 18 months to help reduce the effect the coronavirus pandemic has on them.

It will go towards several services that Recharge provides, including one-to-one services and mental health work, with a plan on how the money will be used designed by the young people who visit the charity and use its services. In July, Recharge received £49,500 from The Robertson Trust, with a large portion of that going towards the manager’s position.

And thanks to this latest funding boost, from Children in Need, Recharge will be able to continue providing its services.

Alan Bell, manager at Recharge, said: “Prior to March, our funding was going to run out in January next year but now we’ve got three years from The Robertson Trust and Children in Need have secured these additional services we hope to provide. This money from Children in Need has made a big difference.”

The funding from Children in Need starts this month and will last for 18 months, with Alan hopeful that things will be “back to normal” in a year and a half’s time.

The coronavirus pandemic has had a big effect on Recharge and how it operates.

Numbers of people per group session have had to be drastically reduced, in some cases from as many as 30 or 40 people down to 12.

Recharge has had to provide some of its services online during the pandemic but has recently started going out and about, meeting young people three times a week in community-based work.

However, depending on the case numbers and guidance at the time, Recharge hopes to be back in its centre in the town next month.