BBC Children in Need has awarded a total of £71,800 in new funding to three Hampshire groups.

Recipients of funding include Home-Start Winchester & Districts, which was awarded £15,900 to provide a weekly support group for vulnerable children and families at risk of social isolation.

The service helps pre-school children gain access to confidence-building activities, whilst giving their parents the skills and encouragement to become more involved in their child’s learning.

This latest boost will enable the group to continue their outreach to families most in need.

Elsewhere, the Eastleigh-based Solent Youth Action (SYA) has received £28,064 to continue delivering SLAMS, a youth club for disabled young people aged between 10 and 18 years old.

An additional £27,836 has been awarded to the Youth In Romsey Project to enable two emotional support groups for children and young people experiencing anxiety, low confidence, sadness, bullying or loneliness.

The groups will cater to primary school children, aged between seven and 11 years old and secondary school aged children, between 12 and 16 years old, separately, and will feature youth club-style activities alongside planned sessions where young people can discuss their concerns whilst developing coping strategies to boost their resilience to outside stress.

Wendy Herbert, youth practitioner at the Youth In Romsey Project said: “Thanks to this grant from BBC Children in Need we can provide children with a service that helps them feel less alone, and reassures them that there is someone out there who can help or who will listen when they are at their lowest.

Speaking of the new grants Pam Bacon, BBC Children in Need regional officer, said: “We are delighted to award Home-Start Winchester & Districts, Solent Youth Action and Youth In Romsey Project for their work with children and young people in Hampshire.”

The charity awards grants at seven points during the year.