The future of an Aberdeen charity helping disadvantaged children looks more secure after smashing its appeal target.
At the start of the year, Befriend a Child said that it needed £100,000 to avoid making cuts.
It then launched its Save Our Smiles (SOS) campaign, in order to keep its befriending service between volunteers and children afloat.
The charity has now revealed that more than £120,000 has been raised – including more than £91,000 in generous donations from members of the public.
Jean Gordon, head of operations, said: “The immediate impact of the SOS Appeal has been to boost our reserves and provide a more secure foundation for our operations.
“The peace of mind this provides is priceless as it allows the charity to reach out and deliver the services where they are most needed.”
Since the appeal launched, the charity received more than 100 applications from new volunteers, with 18 already in post.
Of these, 17 were matched up with children before Christmas.
