Kids Company loss means Bristol youngsters 'will go hungry'

Kids Company in Bristol - graffiti was left saying 'RIP' after doors closed on Wednesday

Vulnerable youngsters in Bristol will be going hungry because of the abrupt closure of Kids Company, the charity's local director has said.

Bristol director Esther Keller told the BBC she was concerned some would have to turn to crime to feed themselves.

Kids Company closed offices in three cities on Wednesday, as ministers said they wanted to recover a £3m grant.

Founder Camila Batmanghelidjh said it had been subject to a "trial by media" based on "rumours and conjectures".

Kids Company provided services including counselling and walk-in centres with hot meals for those whose parents were often unable to care for them. It had six centres in Bristol.

Speaking to BBC Radio Bristol, Ms Keller said she was "gutted" at the news, adding: "The kids will be devastated."

"We feed loads and loads of kids every day. Who's going to do that? They will go hungry. And what happens to them? They will probably turn to crime."

'Mad dash'

The charity's finance officer in Bristol, Frances Harniman said, until Wednesday morning, they did not know they were closing.

"There has been a mad dash panic for everyone to get their personal items out of the centres because we were given until 5pm last night to do so," she said.

"We never envisaged that we would be standing here, locked out in less than 24 hours."

The Reverend Dan Tyndall, of St Mary Redcliffe Church, which raised money for the charity, said other agencies had "failed these young people and Kids Company was there, right at the very edge".

"I think today is a day for remembering the children, young people and families that are waking up not knowing if they are going to be able to have a hot meal."

The closure of branches has left local agencies rushing to fill the gap left by the charity.

In Bristol, the Creative Youth Network has been commissioned for two weeks to help about 40 youngsters with "high-end" needs who had been using its city centre drop-in services.

The city's mayor, George Ferguson, said many youngsters would have also be in touch with other agencies, but said it was "absolutely vital" that Kids Company passed on information about a core of 40 or 50 of the most vulnerable youngsters, which he was expecting on Thursday.