Arts charity receives almost £100k lottery funding

The Hive in Shrewsbury has been helping young people for 20 years

An arts charity for young people which was under threat has received a £99,600 grant.

The Hive, based in Shrewsbury, said the money from the National Lottery Community Fund would come over two years and "safeguard essential services for young people in the county".

Last year, it ran a Save the Hive campaign to raise £50,000 after revealing funding sources had dried up.

The charity said over the last 20 years it had supported about 50,000 children and young people through more than 200 different projects, and the lottery funding would help it reach more in the future.

The Hive runs a variety of programmes covering music, visual arts and animation, but also works on the wellbeing and mental health of young people.

Last year, it said it was struggling because there were so many other organisations competing for the same charity funding.

It added it was also finding it hard to meet growing demand at a time when prices and energy bills were rising.

The Hive's CEO, Katie Jennings, said the lottery money "means so much more than keeping our doors open".

"We are proud of what we've achieved so far, but the need for The Hive's services is growing and now, with the help of this Reaching Communities funding, we can meet it head-on," she said.