A CHARITY which provides positive mentoring for vulnerable children has received a boost in the shape of £24,594.

The Island secured the grant from the Morrisons Foundation to buy an accessible 18-seater mini-bus. The vehicle will be used to transport young people to youth clubs at the charity’s Priory Street centre in York.

The charity says 3,570 children are living in child poverty in York, with 5,245 school children who are disadvantaged in primary and secondary education. Hundreds of those do not have the opportunity or aspiration to fulfil their potential - The Island is working to change that by raising their self-esteem with the help of volunteer mentors and programmes.

The charity supports around 200 youngsters, but only about 50 have one-to-one mentoring. The rest attend the weekly clubs while they are waiting to get a mentor.

Nigel Poulton, The Island chief executive officer, said: “We are delighted. We know the difference a mini-bus will make. There are a number of children who can’t, for varying reasons, arrange to make their own way to our centre for the groups. So, at quite a cost, we use taxis. That soon mounts up for the different clubs. They have to be brought to us and taken back. It does mean we will be able to collect them now for the groups, and they will also be able to benefit from doing different group activities.”

This year 36 families have also used The Island’s holiday flat in Bridlington - donated to the charity a number of years ago.

The mini-bus will also be used to help transport families who might otherwise struggle to get to the coastal getaway.

“It was fully booked throughout summer and is also used for weekend breaks,” said Nigel. “It is a chance for families to have a holiday they wouldn’t have had and reconnect, relaxing together. If it’s a single parent with a number of children, it is quite a challenge just to even get out to Bridlington using public transport. We have volunteers offering to go out in two cars. Now we would be able to use the mini-bus.”