A SOHAM arts group has been left short of cash following the end of a three-year grant.
Viva Arts and Community Group's lottery funding is due to finish this year, reducing its income by more than £30,000 a year.
Although it applied for further support, the Churchgate Street-based charity was unsuccessful.
The group is planning nu
merous fundraisers, including The Big Top Ball next month, to help it continue funding its work with young people.
"It will affect Viva's work enormously as we will have to cut back on the amount of activity we can offer and may have to start charging more, which would probably exclude those young people who need access to activities like Viva the most," said Dan Schumann, Viva trustee and artistic director.
The money, which Viva had been receiving for three years, was used to pay for various arts projects for young people, including workshops, residential trips, performance and film projects and contributed towards its Edinburgh Festival trip.
Sarah Dowd, Viva member and spokeswoman, said: "As more and more funding streams are put on hold and government support becoming even more difficult to guarantee, it is up to the charities themselves to build their support base through other means."
Mr Schumann aid the group was hoping to raise around £5,000 from The Big Top Ball, which it is hosting to raise awareness of its work and the gap in funding this year.
The group, which runs Viva Youth Theatre and Viva Theatre Company, is planning further fundraising initiatives for this year as well as looking to make budget savings and cuts to accommodate the loss of income.
Mr Schumann said it was vital that local people threw their support behind charities, particularly in times of recession.
"Local activities and services are the life blood of any community and people would have to pay much more for these activities and services if they had to travel to access them in larger towns and cities," he said.
"The people of Soham are hugely supportive of Viva and we can't thank everyone enough for their support over the years, however as times get harder we will need their support even more."
The ball will be on Friday, May 22, at the Brook House Hotel and will include a Grand Auction of Promises.
Tickets for are available from the Viva Centre on 01353 722228 or at vivayouth@hotmail.co.uk.
