A HYNDBURN-wide charity which helps young families faces closure within months unless it can raise emergency funds.

Hyndburn Home Start must now fight for survival as government cuts will see its budget run dry this spring.

The Accrington-based organisation helps families with young children under five, who face special challenges such as bereavement, illness and isolation.

Staff at the Cannon Street office say funding from partner organisations such as Lancashire County Council, Sure Start and Hyndburn and Ribble Valley PCT has been axed.

The charity has enough money to run until April.

The organisation, which has helped 180 children in the past year, costs £100,000 a year.

Currently it has four members of staff, seven trustees and 22 volunteers.

However Home Start had hoped to expand significantly and help a record number of children this year after recruiting an additional 31 volunteers.

The group has sent off numerous bids for external funding but as applications can take months staff are holding fundraisers to keep going in the meantime.

Manager at Hyndburn Home Start Dee Houldsworth said: “We have these wonderful volunteers sitting at home doing nothing because we don’t have money to train them.

"We have sent off 14 bids for funding, but bids are not as likely to be approved as in the past. It’s so hard because we are doing such significant work but the worry we are going to close in a few months is constantly shadowing everything we do.”

Hyndburn MP Graham Jones said: “This really shows how cuts are killing the Big Society and changing us into a little society where everyone just worries about themselves. Voluntary and charity organisations like Home Start do immense amounts of good and contribute to our borough’s well being, yet they are being casually flushed away.”

The charity is holding a 60s theme night fundraiser from 8pm on Friday January 21 at the Brooks Club, Infant Street, Accrington. Tickets are £5 including a pie and pea supper and raffle. For more information contact Hyndburn Home Start on 01254 352594.