Funding crisis threatens future of Old Warren after school club

The leaders, parents and children who attend the club are all desperate to save the project from closure and are hoping to 'Save Our Owls'.

They say the project, which is led on a voluntary basis by retired teacher Esther Crawford, is invaluable to the local children, providing a friendly, relaxing atmosphere.

"It is a place of support and friendship," explained Esther. "We discuss all sorts of issues and problems. We provide a safe haven for children and it would be a big loss to the community if we had to close."

Whilst Esther works voluntarily at the project, funding is desperately needed to secure the post of another member of staff and to train a third.

The Old Warren Community Association, which oversees the project, has been desperately searching for funding and has applied to various government departments. However funding cannot be found and the project is in danger of closure.

Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson stressed the importance of maintaining projects such as OWLS and criticised the Education Minister for failing to make additional funding available.

"The OWLS project is an excellent example of the kind of education project that really does help children who otherwise would not receive such assistance with their educational development," he said. "OWLS has been vital in helping to raise the educational standards and achievements for the local population.

"It is a major backwards step that funding is not being made available for the continuation of the OWLS project as I believe it is worthy of support and this is precisely the kind of service that is going to suffer as a result of the cuts we are seeing in the public service. In the long run it is the children and the local community that lose out.

"It is essential that greater priority is given to sustaining projects of this nature."