Hampshire young carers are raising cash for Children in Need to say thank you for a previous grant

YOUNG carers in Hampshire are raising cash for charity to say thanks for a vital grant.

Members of One Community's Young Carer Project are showing their appreciation with a heroic fundraising mission.

Two years ago Children in Need donated more than £65,000 to One Community to help their aim of supporting more young carers in Eastleigh.

The money allowed them to launch a new project, supporting carers aged between eight and 11 years old by offering support at regular clubs and respite opportunities.

In the past two years this project has reached out to more than 70 young carers who have been able to go on day trips to places like Longleat and Legoland, as well as attend regular support sessions where they can have a break, talk to volunteers if they need advice or socialise.

So in a bid to say thank you to Children in Need, a group of them decided to raise money for the charity this year.

With the help of One Community volunteers, the young carers made cakes for a bake sale and took part in a variety of creative activities, including accessorising a pair of superhero pants with an inscription inside saying who their hero is and why.

The BBC charity is following a superhero theme this year which the young children wanted to embrace and their families and friends helped by offering donations.

A spokesperson at the event said: “Two years ago we really wanted to reach out to these children, we already had a club going for 11 - 18 year olds but could not afford to supply staff for younger people.

“This funding has meant so much for them and really made an impact by giving them somewhere that they can have a break and actually enjoy being a child.

"A group of them came up with the idea to do something to raise money and although some of the families may not have a lot of money to spare every little helps, we hope that it will help and the children have loved getting involved.”