TWO youth clubs have been thrown a lifeline after council grants have allowed them to continue running next year.

Both Tatworth Church Youth Club (TCYC) and South Petherton Youth Club (SPYC) have given huge thanks to Somerset County Council for the grants, with one saying they were set to shut down in September if the grant application had failed.

Tatworth Church Youth Club has received a grant for £2,070 and South Petherton Youth Club has received a grant from Somerset County Council for £500.

Helena Baker from the TCYC, said: “This grant basically means that the youth club can continue running.”

She added: “We are due to start back in September and up until we heard that we had got this grant we thought we would have to discontinue.

“Everybody is very very happy.

“This money will pay one youth worker for the running and organising of the club for a year as well as the resources required.

“We have about 20 young people that go to the club as well as a strong team of volunteers.

“Our oldest volunteer is Daphne Carslake, and she was a founding member of the original youth club years ago.

“I am sure she will be so happy with this grant.”

Daphne, 78, told of her delight that the youth club would be able to continue running.

She added: “This grant makes the difference between running and not running.

“We have had the youth club in Tatworth since 1981 when it used to be called Searchers.

“When we ran Searchers we didn’t have any have any professional youth leaders but since 2006 we have actually paid a youth leader.

“Last year we had Helena and this year her husband, who has been working as a volunteer, is taking over the role.

“We went forward in the faith that we would be able to get the resources to run the youth club.

“We have made all the appropriate arrangements to start on September 9. If we hadn’t got the grant then we didn’t have a plan B.”

South Petherton Youth Club, which is based in Lightgate Lane in the village, has also been able to keep running thanks to council grants, says treasurer Andrew Chant.

It has been awarded £500 which will allow the club to expand its offering in the coming year.

Mr Chant said: “A lot of the years we have been very lucky with council grants.

“I doubt we would have lasted this long without council grants.

“We have been quite lucky with maintenance grants over the years and the club relies on volunteers.

“It is quite a huge thing as we do raise money but we are trying to run the club in the daytime as well as evening sessions.

“There is no doubt grants have made the difference.”