A small independent charity has received a big festive boost.
Having provided support for hundreds of young people and adults with additional needs over the past 17 years, a Lowestoft-based charity is celebrating some early Christmas cheer.
TOPCATS has been offering fun, friendship and the chance to build transferable life skills for youngsters from its base at Morton Road in Pakefield, Lowestoft since 2005.
After being shortlisted as one of 10 finalists from Norfolk and Suffolk in the Readers’ Choice Cash for Charity giveaway, Topcats has won a share of £16,000.
It comes as the Readers Choice Cash for Charity campaign was launched in late October and was run over four weeks, with tokens collected from the Eastern Daily Press, Norwich Evening News, Lowestoft Journal and other Newsquest papers.
Almost 5,000 tokens were collected as 10 charities from across Norfolk and Suffolk competed for their share of a £16,000 prize pot, from a £128,000 national total provided by Newsquest Media Group’s parent company Gannett.
Having provided opportunities for hundreds of young people and adults with additional and complex needs - from the age of 0 to 30 - to participate in "fun, fulfilling and meaningful projects" that are not always freely available elsewhere, the group has been awarded £642.69.
This will help to create new facilities - including a purpose-built arts and craft studio that will also act as a new well-being unit, and renovating another room into a safe space.
Anne Marie Battrick, service manager at TOPCATS, said: "Honestly, we were absolutely thrilled to have received the news - words are sometimes not enough.
"Our staff, supporters and their families all rallied round to get the votes in, and to receive £642 - well, that's just incredible.
"We were really, really happy to be part of it all and then to get through to the final - well, it was phenomenal.
"Now for us to receive £642, well, it is absolutely brilliant.
"It's going to make such a difference.
"Our arts and crafts project will see a new wellbeing unit installed, which we are hoping to put up in the New Year.
"We are also looking to renovate a very small room and make that a safe space, where some of the young people can go into when they just need some quiet time."
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