A CHARITY that helps support some of the most disadvantaged young people as they begin their journey to adulthood is calling for more support.

Base 33 Youth Charity in Witney organised a special event at its High Street base so trustees, supporters and locals could get together and see what members had been up to.

Chairman of trustees Jo McLoone said: "It's important for us to stay connected with our supporters and be able to talk not just to our trustees but also with our staff and young people.

"On the night we had a young person who did a rap and another one who sang. It takes a lot of nerve and confidence to do that in front of strangers. It's great to see the people we're working with growing in confidence."

During the event, Base 33 also launched its new website and made a call for support from local businesses and community groups. Local groups are being urged to either sponsor Base 33 or to take on a young person for work experience.

The charity, which has been running for 16 years, works to support young people aged 13 to 24 in Witney and West Oxfordshire who are disadvantaged, vulnerable or at risk. At the moment they regularly support about 150 people.

Mr McCloone, who has been chairman for a year but involved with the group for nearly five, added: "We live in a really nice part of the country and we are very lucky. But that's not to say that everyone is lucky and there are someone people out there with some astonishing stories and we have to be there at their time of crisis.

"We are an entirely local charity and we always need support. We need £160,000 a year and the majority of our funding comes from individual people and trusts.

"That's why we have to regularly communicate. If we stop paddling we sink."

Visit base33.org.uk for more information or to show support.