BBC Children In Need have awarded £161,000 in grants to projects in Worcestershire. The new funding will enable charities to provide services to young people in the area.

Primrose Hospice in Bromsgrove has been awarded a three-year grant of £77,170 to provide support for children and families living with a life-limiting illness, and to help them with bereavement of close family.

Rachel Shepherd, trusts and grants fundraiser at Primrose Hospice, said: “Many of the children we support haven’t experienced bereavement before and so their feelings can be strange for them.

"They may not have friends who have been through similar experiences and so they can feel very isolated.

She added: “To be able to meet other children in the same situation, and know that they are not alone, and have support, is invaluable as they move through an incredibly difficult time.

"A huge thank you to BBC Children in Need for their support.”

Primrose Hospice patients usually are referred by a Macmillan nurse, a district nurse, a GP or hospital consultant.

The day service lets them talk through any concerns with a team of professionals. They also provide a range of counselling, social work and a home service for people nearing the end of their life who want to be in their own home and cancer support groups for those wishing to meet other people.

Home-Start, in Redditch has also been allocated a three-year grant of £83,932 to deliver family support to disadvantaged children affected by poverty and deprivation.

They aim to transform the lives of children facing hardship. They also support families suffering with post-natal depression, isolation, physical health problems, bereavement and many other issues.

Karen Jones, manager at Home-Start North East Worcestershire, said: “A huge thank you to everyone at BBC Children in Need for their support, this funding really will make an enormous difference to young lives.

"Our volunteers understand the pressures and struggles that children and their parents face, as they are parents themselves.

"They work alongside the family, in their own home, where the children should feel safe and secure.” She added: “Sometimes the volunteer is the only constant in a child’s life, and the children begin to look forward to their volunteer coming.

"Children are given the opportunity to express what they want from their volunteer and the volunteers often provide them with opportunities to take part in activities in the community, socialise and make new friends. Just the opportunity to be a child.”

Families receiving help from Home-Start have the support of a volunteer who spends around two hours a week with them at their home, supporting them in any way they need.

"They aim to help parents to cope with the challenges they are facing and to build their confidence.

Melinda Connelly, regional head of the central region at BBC Children in Need said: “We are delighted to be announcing the first allocation of funding for 2018.

"All of the projects we fund work to make a real difference to the lives of disadvantaged children and young people, and these recently awarded projects really will go on to change young lives in the area.

"These grants simply wouldn’t be possible without the support of our incredible fundraisers, so thank you to everyone who have made these grants possible.”

BBC Children in Need’s chief executive, Simon Antrobus added: "A huge thank you to our generous supporters.

"It’s wonderful to be able to award this new funding to projects working with disadvantaged children and young people in local communities right across the UK." To find out more about BBC Children in Need’s visit bbc.co.uk/pudsey/grants