A RYEDALE organisation which works with children and young people has been awarded £54,252 from BBC Children in Need.

Ryedale Special Families, a group based in Old Malton, will receive the grant over three years. It will use the money to help with the weekly youth club for disabled young people in and around the district.

Lisa Keenan, from Ryedale Special Families, said: "BBC Children In Need has been very supportive of our work for a number of years and we are very grateful it is continuing to help us deliver these vital services.

"The young people that we work with at Ryedale Special Families can often find it difficult to access activities that non-disabled young people would, so we're delighted to hear we've been awarded this funding.

"This will enable us to continue providing this provision and reaching out to some of the most vulnerable young people in the area."

The club enables the young people to take part in activities such as table football, pool, computer games and arts and crafts, as well as giving them a space where they are able to socialise, access opportunities, build confidence and talk about a range of sensitive issues.

Elizabeth Myers, regional head of the North for BBC Children in Need, said: "It’s always extremely rewarding to award funding to projects such as Ryedale Special Families, that make a tangible difference to the lives of disadvantaged children and young people.

"In the coming months these projects will work with young people in Ryedale who need it most, which without the help of our fundraisers wouldn’t be possible. A big thank you to everyone who has fundraised or donated."

The newly-awarded grant come as BBC Children in Need celebrates its highest ever fundraising total; £55m was raised during the charity’s 2015 appeal.

BBC Children in Need funds two types of grants; both of which are open to new applicants. A Small Grants Programme includes grants up to and including £10,000, which supports projects for one year, while the Main Grants Programme is for grants over £10,000 per year to support projects for up to three years.

Projects working with children and young people facing any kind of disadvantage can find out more on how to apply for funding at bbc.co.uk/pudsey/grants

The next deadline for the Small Grants programme is September 1 and the deadline for the Main Grants programme is September 15.