A YOUTH club attended by almost 200 children wants to raise £2,000 to keep running after its lottery grant ended.

Rose Hill Junior Youth Club has grown from humble beginnings in 2011 to become one of the most popular in the city.

But in November the five-year lottery project that has funded it came to an end.

The club is not at immediate risk of closure but the team that runs it wants to make sure it keeps offering a wide range of activities for youngsters until new long-term funding can be found.

Community worker Fran Gardner, who helped set up the club and has worked with it ever since, said: "When we started junior youth club we had 11 children coming each week.

"We now have 180.

"We have such a wide cultural mix of children and young people coming along.

"JYC became a registered charity in June 2015 –number 1161836 – so that the scope of fundraising could be widened.

"Anyone supporting the charity can be assured that their donations are going directly to support the children and young people of Rose Hill – not swallowed up by large administration costs."

Between 2011 and the end of November Rose Hill was handed £370,000 by the Big Lottery Fund – topped up to £430,000 by GreenSquare housing group and the estate's tenants and residents association.

A fresh bid for lottery funding has been submitted and other long-term funding options are open to the club.

But the outcome of the lottery bid will not be known until next month, leading to the appeal for funding in the short term.

Ms Gardner added that bidding for lottery funding is a highly competitive process.

Oxford city councillor for Rose Hill, Ed Turner, said: "I see first hand just what a success junior youth club is.

"It is a big part of life for many youngsters in Rose Hill.

"It has always been reliant to some extent on fundraising and any donations will be very much appreciated."

The club provides activities for children aged from five to 11, including arts and crafts, cookery, board games, music, dance and sport.

It also provides quiet spaces for reading and drawing.

Mr Turner added: "There are very important life skills that kids are learning such as things around cooking and healthy eating.

"I am convinced that these skills – along with leadership skills, creativity and sports –will stay with children throughout their lives.

"They make a really positive contribution to their development."

The club costs £52,000 a year to run, but the current fundraising target is £2,000.

So far £136 has been brought in through an online fundraising page.

To donate visit givey.com/rosehill