A FAREWELL party attended by more then 50 children marked the closure of a series of after school clubs across Darlington.

The clubs were run by Groundwork North East which was contracted by Darlington Council to run a play scheme at centres in the 11 most deprived wards in the borough for two years.

The scheme was a huge success but now the contract has expired and Groundwork has been unable to secure the minimum £80,000 needed to keep the clubs running.

A party was thrown at St Cuthbert’s church hall on Tuesday to bring children from the various clubs together as a final farewell to the play scheme, but Sarah Small, play co-ordinator for Groundwork, said she was working hard to find funding for the clubs to be re-launched in the future.

She said: “There is hope that somebody out there can come and help us.

“I’m staying at Groundwork in the hope that we can get money to bring it back; we are doing what we can but it is a bit of a sign of the times.”

Mum-of-three Bridgette Vickers, 35, sent her youngest sons Ben, 12 and Sam, 10, to the after school club in Nickstream Lane, Cockerton, which she campaigned Groundwork to open as there was little else for younger children to do in that area.

She said she was “gutted” that the club was now closing.

“It has had a big impact on the estate,” she said.

“It was brilliant, it really brought the community together and gave the kids something to do - they will all be out on the streets now.”

12 jobs are being lost as a result of the clubs closing.