Diana fund gap filled in Wales

Three charities threatened with closure following the freezing of
payments from the Princess Diana fund have been given a lifeline by
the Welsh assembly.

The fund had been forced to halt payments to the charities
following the decision by US-based souvenir firm the Franklin Mint
to launch legal action against it.

The charities, SCOVO Life Options project based in Llanelli, and
two Cardiff-based charities Displaced People in Action and SOVA
Refugees in Wales Mentoring Project, received all their funding
from the fund. The uncertainty had forced two of the projects to
consider redundancies.

Following calls for funding to help save the projects, Edwina Hart,
Welsh assembly minister for social justice and regeneration,
announced a rescue package of £211,328 to provide short-term
funding until next April.

“These projects are providing support to vulnerable people, and it
is they who would suffer most if this legal dispute forced the
charities to close,” Hart said.

Three other charities in Wales that are funded or part-funded by
the Diana Fund are not under immediate threat, but the minister has
promised to keep their situation under review.