DISABLED children and their families in Basingstoke will continue to benefit from playschemes following a funding handout from Hampshire County Council.

Councillor Keith Mans, executive member for children’s services, has approved a pot of over £200,000 to fund specialist play activities in the borough.

The cash that organisations receive will help disabled children and teenagers to take part in playschemes during school holidays and at weekends, and will help parents and carers have a break during 2014-15.

Disability Challengers, which provides services at Everest Community Academy, in Popley, and Saxon Wood School, in Rooksdown, has been awarded £131,300. The organisation provides weekend and holiday playschemes for four to 12 year-olds in the borough and youth schemes for young people with disabilities and their siblings aged between 13 and 18.

Laura Sercombe, chief executive of Disability Challengers, said: “We are so excited to be continuing our work in Basingstoke, and look forward to meeting even more young people and their families over the coming months.”

Dove House School Academy, in Sutton Road, will use its £36,852 to provide an after-school club and summer holiday activities as well as the Link Centre Club for older teenagers and activities for children with autism and learning disabilities.

Maple Ridge School, in Maple Crescent, has been given £24,199 to help provide a summer holiday playscheme and a monthly Saturday club for children with disabilities and children who have autistic spectrum conditions.

Cllr Mans said: “I was pleased to be able to agree total funding of more than £2.1million that will support over 5,000 disabled children and young people so that they can access services and participate in interesting and fun activities.”

He added: “This was a challenging grant round and in agreeing the grant applications, the panel took into account a number of factors including current demand for activities, age range of the children that could participate, and value for money.”