The Disability Information Service Huntingdonshire (Dish), based in Papworth Everard, is in serious risk of closure by March 2009 after a Lottery grant ran out.

Dish, which provides information and advice for disabled people and carers, including parents of children with disabilities or special needs, costs £65,000 a year to run.

Two years ago a three-year Lottery grant of £42,000 a year ran out, and the charity had to cut down to a staff of three part-time workers and three volunteers.

Despite receiving £15,000 annually from Cambridgeshire County Council and £7,000 from Huntingdonshire District Council, Dish has been working off its reserved funds.

But as that begins to run low and having not secured any further funding, the charity may have to end all its services in just over six months.

Part-time manager of Dish Olly Cooper explained two years ago they lost two members of staff and their home visiting service due to lack of funds.

He added: "We managed to save a bit of money so we were able to keep running for a while longer. We have applied for a Lottery grant a couple of times since but we haven't been fortunate to get one.
"We will keep going as long as we can. We could run a skeleton service if the councils stick with us, but it would be a real shame."

Dish has been running for more than 15 years and in that time they have received two three-year Lottery grants. They are the only such group which covers Huntingdonshire, with Disability Cambridgeshire running a similar service for the rest of the county.

Dish also runs a children's project to offer support and guidance to parents and children, which has been sponsored so far by Children in Need. But with that funding running out in August, the project may only be able to sustain itself until Christmas.

The project is hoping to raise £5,000 to build a new sensory toy library for young people and children with disabilities, and are urging anyone who can make a donation to come forward.

>> If you would like to contact Dish or make a donation call 01480 830833, email info@dish.org.uk or visit the website www.dish.org.uk