Portsmouth trust gets cash boost of £499,000

Portsmouth-based the You Trust is getting the cash from the Big Lottery Fund.

The project in Portsmouth will be led by the You Trust service at Advice Portsmouth, working with the Roberts Centre in Portsea and Hope Portsmouth.

Mat Smith, manager of Advice Portsmouth, added: ‘We are thrilled to have been awarded this funding for the city.

‘Many people come to the service in crisis and this funding will enable us to provide longer term help to people which is so needed.’

The You Trust will be given the money over five years to help people in the Portsmouth area who are experiencing or facing a crisis as a result of extreme circumstances.

The trust is part of a project in the south east to help people with issues including homelessness, employment, debt and health problems, which starts on July 1.

Chief executive Nicola Youern said: ‘We’ve listened to people in the city to see what matters to them.

‘We provided a questionnaire to all people we are working with in crisis, asking what matters to them.

‘Around 70 per cent said they would like to have someone alongside them and actually work with them over a long period of time to help make the changes in their lives that are needed.’

Mel Goddard, family services manager at the Roberts Centre, said: ‘We can support the people who are the most vulnerable in the city.’

Part of the project will see three new employees act as circle of support workers.

They will be helping those in need so they can move forward in life.

Advice Portsmouth provides over 13,000 acts of assistance every year to people living in the city.

Leader of Portsmouth City Council, Donna Jones, welcomed the grant.

She said: ‘I’m delighted these very worthy causes have been awarded the grant of £499,000.

‘The council works closely with them and funds Advice Portsmouth. We were pleased to help The You Trust submit their bid.’