CHARITIES across Worcester are being given a financial leg up thanks to a generous fundraising organisation.

At the annual review meeting of the trustees of Worcester Municipal Charities – which provides financial help to funds and projects in the city – on Wednesday, March 26, members agreed how to allocate its funds for the coming financial year.

Although vice chairman Margaret Jones warned some applications for help would have to be turned down if financial need was not demonstrated, the organisation agreed to a £228,353 grant to Worcester’s Citizen’s Advice Service, the largest donation ever made by the group.

A grant of £30,000 to a summer holiday playscheme run by Worcester Community Trust for the children in the city’s most financially disadvantaged areas – up from £18,000 last year – was agreed, along with £16,905 towards the running costs of Magg’s Day Centre in Deansway.

Chairman Paul Griffith announced the group had entered into a partnership with Worcester City Council to make grants worth a total of £82,404 towards the authority’s Discretionary Welfare Assistance Scheme, which will be used to buy white goods for those in need.

The organisation is always working in partnership with the Citizen’s Advice Service and the 6 Towns Credit Union – which covers Worcestershire, Sandwell and South Birmingham – to set up a Loan Shark Redemption Project, helping victims of unscrupulous pay day lenders.

The trustees also agreed to invest more funds in sheltered housing in the city and homes for people on low income.

For more information on the Worcester Municipal Charities visit wmcharities.org.uk.