A PRESTON-based charity has been given funding for a project to help young homeless drug users and vulnerable people.

The Lloyds TSB Foundation has donated £24,000 to Drugline Lancashire to run the three-year Homeless and Vulnerable Young Persons Project.

One person to benefit from the project is 'Steph', a 21-year-old with a history of heroin addiction, theft and prostitution.

'Steph' also has two young children in care and she is typical of the 20 young people the project aims to help each week.

Drugline's Lee Harrington said that the project aimed to identify, help and support people like Steph by making contact with them, helping them reach support services and advocating on their behalf.

Users are met on a one-to-one basis at the centre's Union Street base or on their own ground by project community workers.

Lee said: "On behalf of the many young people who can now receive the help they so desperately need, I would like to say a huge thank you to the Lloyds TSB Foundation for these vital funds. Without its help we would have been unable to launch what we hope will be a successful project."

Speaking at the project's launch, Lloyds' Preston senior manager Alan Lafferty added: "It is vitally important that organisations such as Drugline Lancashire receive funding in order to both prevent the causes and treat the consequences of substance misuse.

"I am glad we have been able to support such an important project as this. In 1999, the Foundation received £26.5 million to distribute to grassroots charities throughout the UK - more than £2.1 million is being distributed to voluntary groups in the North West.

Drugline helps more than 60 young people every month and the centre is open from 10am-9.30pm Monday to Friday and 10am-5pm on a Friday for face-to-face counselling, needle exchange, education and training. For details, call (01772) 253840.

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