Youth charity awarded £10,000 for its work in Streatham
A UK charity has received a National Lottery award for its work with young people in Streatham.
Music4Children, a charity which provides music and arts workshops, has received £10,000 from the National Lottery Community Fund.
The grant will enable the organisation to expand its programme in Streatham and reach even more young people in need.
Gavin Watts, a trustee of Music4Children said: “We know that young people are facing unprecedented challenges right now, and we are more committed than ever to supporting them.
“This funding will allow us to scale our impact and provide critical resources to even more of the young people who need it so much.”
Music4Children was formed in 2005 by a small group of musicians and was originally called the Nepal Balbalika Trust.
The motivation for starting the charity was to help children orphaned by the civil war in Nepal.
Since then the charity has also started to work with children and young people in South London, where the charity is now based.
When Music4Children moved into the White Lion in Streatham, the venue included a derelict stable that was rendered unusable.
After months of hard work from local volunteers this room was transformed into a space where they now run free creative workshops and community activities.
Music4Children currently hosts a range of workshops aimed at 5-19 year olds, including DJ & Music Technology, Street Dance, Drama, Film & Media, Art & Jewellery Making, Live Performance.
With the new grant funding, Music4Children plan to expand its programmes and services as well as maintain its previous programme of holiday activities for Streatham Drop In Centre.
The charity will also be able to start a monthly activity programme at the Centre to complement the homework classes attended by local refugee children.
For more information on Music4Children and its programmes, or to make a donation, please visit www.music4children.org.
Pictured Top: Kids at the Streatham centre (Picture: Joanna Layla Davies)