A PROJECT to support children and young people recovering from mental health illnesses in York has been granted more than £70,000 from BBC Children in Need.

The funding has been awarded to York Mind in the latest allocation of grants which is the first of seven rounds across the year and will support work with disadvantaged youngsters in the city.

York Mind will use the £70,449 to deliver The Arts Award Project to provide creative activities.

The funding will pay for a Young Person’s Co-ordinator to help the young people recover and move on from their illness through a programme of one-to-one mentoring, peer support, social media, and vocational training, creative group activities and help to complete accredited training .

The cash boost has been welcomed by the charity, whose fundraising service manager Rosanna Andrews said: “The work we do at York Mind is extremely important in aiding children and young people’s recovery from mental health illnesses, so we are delighted to hear that BBC Children in Need have awarded our project with a grant.”

Elizabeth Myers, Children in Need regional head of the North, said: “All of the projects that we fund make a tangible difference to young lives, and the addition of the York Mind is no exception. In the months ahead they’ll work closely with some of the young people in York that need it most. To all our fundraisers who have made these grants possible, a very big thank you.”

Children in Need's chief executive, David Ramsden added: “Put simply, these grants are made possible by our amazing supporters. Thank you, everybody should feel incredibly proud of the difference they are making to young lives.”

The news means that BBC Children in Need now funds two projects in York with more than £140,000 hard at work to benefit local young lives.

BBC Children in Need awards two types of grants; both of which are open to new applicants.

A Small Grants Programme includes grants up to and including £10,000, which supports projects for one year, while the Main Grants Programme is for grants over £10,000 per year to support projects for up to three years.

Projects working children and young people facing any kind of disadvantage can find out more on how to apply for funding at bbc.co.uk/pudsey/grants.

BBC Children in Need relies on the support and creativity of thousands of fundraisers and supporters across the UK who donate their time, money and energy to help raise millions for the Charity. Whether raised by baking cakes, going on rambles, putting on quizzes or taking part in dress up days, every penny goes towards supporting projects right here in the UK.