Rotary gives £10,000 lifeline to vital service

The Havant Rotary Club donated £10,000 to Off The Record – a counselling service which helps young people.

Due to cuts in funding from Portsmouth City Council and Hampshire County Council, the charity is struggling to survive.

Off the Record co-manager Tina Randall said: ‘We’re absolutely delighted and grateful about the amount people from the club donated.

‘We are hoping it will be able to support us in some way.

‘It’s a big contribution to the budget and allows us to continue running the service.

‘It is a significant amount that will be used in the core budget of the main service so we can continue helping young people in the area.’

Tina added that the charity really appreciates that local groups want to help them.

‘It is nice to know that other groups can see the work we do and want to help us,’ she said.

Mike Sellis, president of the Havant Rotary Club, said: ‘Our members have supported Off the Record for a number of years.

‘We have witnessed the difference made to the lives and prospects of many hundreds of local young people.

‘Through the generosity of the public in supporting our fundraising efforts, particularly at Christmas time, we are delighted to be able to make this contribution.’

He added: ‘This brings the club’s total donations this year to £36,000. This money has been used to help fund 27 charitable organisations and projects both locally and overseas.’

The £10,000 will be put into Off The Record’s budget to help with general services.

As reported in The News the charity, in Leigh Park, could close if funding isn’t found.

This would leave young people in Havant and the surrounding areas without a counselling service.

Last year, it helped more than 3,500 people with issues ranging from anger and relationships breakdowns to mental illnesses.