CAMPAIGNERS have launched an appeal to save a popular saltburn youth project from closure.

Youth campaign DoorWays needs £54,000 a year to run and has just £12,000 left in the bank - but half of this would go in closing down fees.

One of the two employees, project worker John Thompson, is being made redundant from the end of this month.

The “Begging Buckets” appeal started in mid-January to raise money for the youth campaign - and has already raised more than £5,000.

The project is in danger of collapsing due to lack of funding but project manager John Pearson said: “The generosity of our local people, under the current climate of such personal need, is quite overwhelming.

“We are often called to change our way of operating but DoorWays will always stay with its core belief and values, reaching out to young people in need, seeking opportunities.”

Many of these donations have come not only from churches but from some of the young people that have received help from the project.

About 120 youngsters are registered with the project and the chairman of DoorWays’ management committee, Liam Gardiner, said he hoped the project could live on for the sake of those registered.

“DoorWays has enabled many young people to see a future in life, to give them a purpose for living and to bring a smile back on what used to be despairing,” he said.

“I hope that the vulnerable young people in Saltburn and surrounding areas will be supported by other agencies should DoorWays be forced to close, but I doubt it”.

The management committee is looking at cutting costs by moving the premises to another town centre room and making other changes.
For more information visit www.door-ways.co.uk.