By Thom Kennedy

Last updated 09:17, Friday, 03 October 2008

A charity which helps more than 1,000 youngsters each year faces closure unless it can raise £12,500.

Zoe McIntosh

Eden Community Outdoors (ECO) is struggling to stay at its Appleby Community Centre base after a rent review by Eden Council saw their costs increase and the group lost some of its funding.

After several grant applications fell through, ECO admits it needs to raise the figure by Christmas just to pay the rent.

The charity provides experiences for youngsters around Eden, including summer camps, football teams, art and video projects, a community cafe and a forestry schooling project. The summer camps across the county, as well as in Alston and Carlisle, benefit hundreds each year.

Zoe McIntosh, the charity’s arts leader, said: “I think it would have a huge impact on the community if we were to close down. We serve a huge number of young people – in 2007-2008 we worked with more than 1,300 young people – and we provide a hub for them in Appleby.

“We hope that by publicising our situation we will get offers of support from people who can help us access funding.

“We also hope to attract some business sponsorship – the smallest donations help at the moment – and hope the council will be willing to look at our case and support us.”

A spokesman for Eden Council said the group could apply for relief on its rent, and that it received 100 per cent relief on its business rates.

The charity has suffered heavily in recent times. Last year, its co-founder Sue Bennett was killed in a canoeing accident in the River Eden near Penrith.

She started the group 10 years ago and it has been providing services in Appleby ever since.

Now ECO needs to raise extra money to employ a new manager. Since Mrs Bennett died several trustees have been working voluntarily to fill her role.