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Belper hoax was 'sick', says charity
Belper has been the butt of a 'sick' hoax according to a charity which was mistakenly said to be opening up a base in the town.
Reports have been circulated in the local and national media saying that the Traveller's School Charity (TSC) was to open a base in a house in Chevin View, after it received a grant from Children in Need for a three-year project in Belper.
The BBC charity was slated for making the donation, which would help to educate traveller children, as the cause was not considered to be something which people would have willingly given money towards.
But it has now been revealed that the charity does not intend to move in to the three-bedroom cottage or in fact anywhere else in the Derbyshire area.
Fundraiser Indra Donfrancesco said: "I can hand on heart say that this charity has nothing to do with Belper or Derbyshire. There will be no offices there, and no children. It's sick that the charity has been dragged out like this."
Reports that the charity was to set up a project in Belper were slammed by East Midland MEP Roger Helmer, who said it was 'a charity some people would be surprised to discover their money had gone to'
The Conservative added that providing education was the job of the state, through taxpayer funding, and not of charities.
The MEP, who has represented the region on the European Parliament since 1999, said he did not know where the reports stating the charity was to set up in the town had originated.
The TSC, which has been running for 23 years, provides a classroom education for traveller children of all ages. Workshops run by the charity include film-making, welding of scrap metal structures, digital photography and puppet-making. It caters for children from the age of four to teenage.
Ms Donfrancesco said: "This is a reputable children's charity which helps children and adults access better education because they are not always treated equally.
"It is in grave need of funding. Children in Need is a reputable charity and giving organisation."
Money raised by Children in Need comes from an annual public telethon, which is held annually in November. Last year the charity made more than 39 million, which it says will go towards projects and charities which support children around the UK and abroad.
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Weather for Belper
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Light sleet showers
Temperature: -0 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Light snow
Temperature: -3 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: South east
