A CHILDREN'S charity in Cornwall has explained how its used money it won in The Packet's Cash For Charities giveaway.

Cornwall Accessible Activities Programme (CAAP) was nominated by readers to represent Cornwall in the region, up against seven others in Dorset and Hampshire.

CAAP supports families across the whole of Cornwall who have a child with an additional need or a disability, by providing activities during the school holidays.

Falmouth Packet: CAAP secured 54% of the votes winning it £10,827.17CAAP secured 54% of the votes winning it £10,827.17

Trips have included alpaca trekking, axe throwing and pirate golf, with Wetwheels in Falmouth one of the charity partners it works closely with.

At the end of voting, CAAP had obtained an incredible 54% of the votes, winning it an amazing £10,827.17.

CAAP director, Sandy Lawrence, told The Packet: "The award for the newspaper voting was amazing and we really did not expect that much.

Falmouth Packet: Trips have included alpaca trekking, axe throwing and pirate golfTrips have included alpaca trekking, axe throwing and pirate golf

"Funding for all charities is very hard to get at the moment with so many charities losing money over the two years of the pandemic.

"It was a great scheme to involve our members as well.

"What a difference having that funding made to us.

"We were able to fund our February Easter and May programs using the funding ensuring that all families could access our activities.

Falmouth Packet: CAAP director Sandy said the charity was able to fund its February, Easter, and May programmes thanks to the prize money

"One family, whose dad lost his job just before Easter, were going to cancel so the children would not have been able to attend anything over the two weeks.

"But, with the help of this funding, we were able to ensure both the disabled child and his siblings got to enjoy our activities free of charge.

"Importantly, they were not immediately affected by the redundancy.

Falmouth Packet: Funding had been hard to come across thanks to the pandemic

"We are now busy planning our summer program the small amount of the packet grant that we have left will be held to support families that cannot afford the subsidised price."

The other charities in the region won:

  • Communicare in Southampton, tackling loneliness, won £1,371.35 with 6.86% of the vote.
  • Amelia’s Rainbow, supporting children in Dorset with terminal and life-limiting illnesses, won £565.96 with 2.8% of the votes.
  • The Bridge Youth Project in Salisbury won £1,131.91 with 5.6% of the votes
  • South Wight Area Youth Partnership on the Isle of Wight won £1,663.04 with 8.32% of the votes.
  • The Safe youth project in Basingstoke won £217.68 with 1.09% of the votes.
  • The Will Mackaness Trust in Weymouth won £3,452.33 with 17.26% of the votes
  • Winchester Go LD, providing music for adults with learning disabilities, won £770.57 with 3.85% of the votes.