Victim support saved by £10,000 windfall

A SERVICE described as vital by victims of crime has been given a reprieve after securing funding.

The Chronicle recently revealed that lottery funding for three trained counsellors at Oldham Victim Support was about to run out.

But Oldham Partnership’s Community Engagement Commissioning Group has offered nearly £10,000 to keep the service going until April. And, while further funds are not guaranteed, outline permission has been granted for more money in March to keep it going for another two years.

The group received £60,000 from the Big Lottery Fund to pay for counsellors three years ago but the money was due to last until October.

District manager Steve Critchlow said: “I’m over the moon. Oldham Council has come up trumps and the funding will be until April. We are very grateful.”

He added that the service also receives funding to pay the rent, for which organisers are also thankful. The Oldham branch is based in the Meridian Centre, King Street, where it also has 24 volunteers who carry out home visits and 16 who work in the courts.

Springhead mum Louise Hilditch told the Chronicle how the counselling had helped her come to terms with the horrendous murder of her beloved dad James Smith.

She now wants to train as a counsellor herself after experiencing how the service can help.

She said she would have been devastated if it had not been able to continue.