A CHARITY helping hundreds of struggling parents raising children could be forced to close by the end of the year unless urgent funding is found.

Staff at Home-Start Wycombe, based in Priory Road, have admitted the charity is in a financial crisis as they have been unable to secure enough money through grants and donations.

The charity, set up in High Wycombe 12 years ago, has helped more than 500 families going through stressful situations by recruiting and training volunteers to support parents.

Sue Staines, the charity secretary, said: "It is a real problem. Our treasurer has said we may only have enough funds to go until Christmas. It would be a massive blow because some of our families are in real difficulty."

The charity needs £95,000 to support an average of 75 families each year.

Mrs Staines said: "Many parents have told us Home-Start was a lifeline. Without us I am sure that some of the children we have helped would have ended up in care homes."

The charity has dedicated extra time in recent months to applying for funding through charitable organisations, but are yet to prove successful.

Mrs Staines said: "We have been scouring the internet looking for organisations to apply to. But the problem is that for every grant there are a number of charities looking for that money. It is very difficult."

Staff have been given some hope by the new monday lottery run by the Charities Lottery that launched earlier this month as a rival to the National Lottery.

The new lottery, played over the internet, allows people to choose the charity they wish to support with their entry fee.

A draw scheduled for Monday, June 19, will help Home-Start locations across the UK.