A CHARITY so impressed funding groups with its bid for money that it won two grants for the same scheme.

South Buckinghamshire Carers Centre, based in Castle Street, High Wycombe, had already received £70,000 from Children In Need when it heard it had received £70,171 from the Community Fund, the new name of the National Lottery Charities Board.

The charity applied for the two grants in the hope of getting just one of them but now it has got both, it must hand one back.

Young carers worker Diana Fentiman said it was great to receive the grants and was now considering which one to return so that another charity could benefit.

She said: "The money will be of enormous benefit. It gives us security, knowing we can run the support programmes for another three years.

"We will be able to employ a part-time worker to support young carers, maintain current group activities and develop further activities to help and support families."

The carers centre supports around 160 young people in the south Buckinghamshire area, aged eight to 16, who look after sick or disabled parents or siblings.

She said: "We have a club which runs on Saturday mornings. The group provides a chance to have a break from being a carer, meet new friends and meet people with similar experiences."

Mrs Fentiman added: "We know of 160 young carers but we think there are probably 1,000 who we could be offering support."

The centre also offers a volunteer befriending scheme which a grant will help develop.

"The volunteers support families on an individual basis. We recruit, train and police-check all our volunteers to build up a friendship with a young carer and their family."

But the centre will still be doing fundraising activities to raise money for the day-to-day activities.

The centre is also keen for young carers to contact it if they would like to receive support.

For more information about Buckinghamshire Carers Centre, call Mrs Fentiman on (01494) 463536