A GRANT of �3,000 has been awarded to a vital but financially struggling Littleham activity centre for toddlers.

A GRANT of �3,000 has been awarded to a vital but financially struggling Littleham activity centre for toddlers.

The town council's finance committee this week awarded the grant despite only �851 remaining in their grant budget.

But councillors agreed that there were special circumstances for the Littleham Village Hall-based centre which holds up to three sessions a week and coordinates activities including circus skills for toddlers.

Catherine Steadman of the centre said they have applied for funding from other organisations and wanted to eventually create paid positions for a play leader, a project coordinator and a play assistant- but the immediate priority was to see out the winter.

She said: "The centre has all pulled together and some staff have not paid up to date.

"The Children's Society has agreed to pay our rent until April but at the moment we have a problem.

"Hopefully by February when the funding starts coming through we should be sailing.

"But at the moment, we are sinking."

Cllr Eileen Wragg said that alternative centres, in Marpool School for instance, were just too far away: "There is a great social need for a children's centre in Littleham.

"They do really good work in one of the most deprived wards in the country and they seem to be getting by on a wing and a prayer and on the good will of others.