A youth charity will live to fight another year at least after a trust stepped in to save it from closing.

Pro Action work behind the scenes to help provide more than 300 youth clubs and projects across Hertfordshire, but the charity was recently told it was losing 67 per cent of its funding from Hertfordshire County Council.

The charity could have shut down as early as June.

Following extensive press coverage across the county, the trustees of Sylvia Adams Charitable Trust (SACT) contacted Pro Action and a meeting resulted in an offer of support which allows Pro Action to time to steady its finances and look at the long-term future.

Pro Action chief executive Dave Green said: "We have a hill to climb, but we are excited and very pleased to be here to support the children & young people of Hertfordshire.

“We will continue to support all those who share the vision to ensure that every young person in this county has access to a variety of high quality, accessible activities which support them in their development and wellbeing.”

The small team at Pro-Action has more than 150 years of experience in the youth sector between them. Pro-Action provides a training programme, with discounted rates for volunteers, in essential areas, such as safeguarding. They are also an umbrella body for enhanced DBS checks, to ensure those working in the sector can safely recruit.

Cllr Teresa Heritage, cabinet member for children, young people & families at Hertfordshire County Council, said that services had to be reviewed with budgets “continuing to come under pressure”, and because of this, the council is unable to fund some of Pro Action’s services at the same level as previously.