A group that supports caregivers in Kingston has been awarded over £100,000 in funding from the BBC's Children In Need charity.

Announcing the news on Wednesday (February 26), a spokesperson for Children In Need said that the extra money was awarded during the final round of the 'Curiosity' joint funding programme run by the BBC with independent non-profit Wellcome.

The money would go to help young carers engage with the natural world, they said:

"Kingston Carers’ Network in Kingston upon Thames will use a three-year grant of £100,355 to provide young carers with regular workshops focusing on the natural world, field trips to nature reserves, and a summer club," the spokesperson said.

Diane White, CEO at Kingston Carers’ Network, thanked the BBC charity and Wellcome for the money as she reflected on what it would mean to children in the area.

The six-figure sum, she said, would help young carers experience the world around them and make new friends in the process:

"The team at Kingston Carers’ Network and I are so grateful to BBC Children in Need and Wellcome; funding will help us to encourage young carers to develop their own personal interests, while exploring new ways to learn about the world around them.

"We hope to give young people in the community the opportunity to take time for themselves, make new friendship groups, and do the things they enjoy most."

Simon Antrobus, Chief Executive of BBC Children in Need, meanwhile highlighted the benefits for young carers of engaging with science and the natural world as one of the key reasons why the funding was a boon for the Kingston Carers' Network:

"We are delighted to be awarding funding to projects like Kingston Carers’ Network through our Curiosity programme," he said.

Our first round of funding showed us that science can be fun and engaging for disadvantaged children and young people, but most importantly, can make a positive difference to their lives.

"We hope that through this latest round of funding children and young people will have more opportunities to encounter, learn and enjoy science in their everyday lives," Antrobus added.

BBC Children in Need currently funds 9 projects in Kingston upon Thames to a value of more than £464,000.