AN ANDOVER charity is celebrating after being awarded £365,000 in funding from The National Lottery Community Fund.

Yellow Brick Road Projects, based in Suffolk Road, is planning to use the funding to offer its ‘You Matter life skills programme’ to young people in Andover, Basingstoke, Southampton, and the Isle of Wight.

It will support young people aged 16-35 who are at risk of experiencing or are currently experiencing homelessness.

A Yellow Brick Road Projects spokesperson said: “They could be a young parent with their child living in a hostel, or a young woman who has been given an opportunity to stabilise her life at Hope Street as an alternative to a prison sentence, keeping mothers and children together. Or a young person who has care experience now living in a hostel.

READ MORE: Figures reveal the alarming number of people reported as homeless in Andover

“Unfortunately, there are many reasons why someone can experience homelessness which is why the You Matter programme is a beneficial programme to help young people learn the life skills that help them to keep the roof over their head.”

The National Lottery Community Fund is the largest funder of community activity in the UK.

National Lottery players raise over £30m a week for good causes across the UK.

A share of it is distributed to support people and communities to prosper and thrive.

Siobhan Down, CEO and Founder of Yellow Brick Road Projects, said: “Thanks to National Lottery players, this grant means that we can reach more young people across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, to help them find their seam of GOLD and reduce their risk of experiencing homelessness. This will make a big difference to people’s lives.”