Bedfordshire's Road Victims Trust gets £166,000 funding

A Bedfordshire charity has received an award of £166,000 from the Ministry of Justice.

The Road Victims Trust supports the families of those who die as a result of a road accident.

Frances Bourne from the trust says the award recognises the need for the charity.

"It is great for our work to be acknowledged at government level by the awarding of this money," she said.

"We try to make a difference to those that not only suffer the death of a loved one, or the horror of being involved in a fatal collision, but also the lengthy and distressing court procedures that can follow."

Expand services

The Ministry of Justice funding comes after 15 years without any statutory funding for the work of the trust.

The money, which will be awarded over a period of three years, will be used to train more counsellors and enable the charity to expand its service into Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire.

Baldock resident Ray Chapman, whose 14-year-old son Jake died after his bicycle collided with a car in the town in December 2009, says the award is important for the work of the trust.

"Sadly there are a lot of people out there suffering who are unaware of the trust and the help that is there for them," said Mr Chapman.

"This money will help the trust train more counsellors which obviously means they'll be able to help more people."