Last month the Barnet & Potters Bar Times awarded grants to five charities which were funded by the Gannett Foundation, the charitable arm of our owners Gannett.

In the fourth of our profiles on the winners, SARAH MILLS heads to Hope House North London's site.

When Hope House North London's after school club was opened 18 months ago, some youngsters' behaviour left a lot to be desired.

"When children first came to the club they couldn't sit quietly and would even hit others," said children's community worker Annabel Copeland.

"There would be regular temper tantrums and I discovered from parents some of them were suffering from behavioural problems at school."

The club in Fallowfields Drive, North Finchley, serves children on the nearby Fallowfields Estate. Many come from one-parent or low income families and some have also had problems completing their homework.

"Parents may have been too busy to help their children with the homework or perhaps they didn't feel confident enough to help them so we have regularly supported them," said Annabel.

"However, during the last one-and-a-half years we've seen children's lives transformed as a result of our work new skills have been learnt and behaviour has improved dramatically at home and at school. Parents and teachers have noticed children are calmer, play together and are less aggressive and destructive."

In term time Hope House aims to provide a daily after-school club for disadvantaged children aged five to 11 and hosts a range of activities including homework support, arts and crafts, drama, sports, cooking and computers.

"We also provide a safe place for children to talk about issues in their lives and help children tackle these issues," said Annabel.

"The club gives children a place to play safely on an estate without a children's play area or any other after-school provision for families on a low income and a high number of single-parent families," she added.

The Hendon Times Group has given the charity £2,000 which will be spent on the club's daily running costs and equipment which it hopes will last until August next year. It is one of a series of five grants being made totalling £11,500 to charities in the borough from the Gannett Foundation.

"This money will be used for all sorts of things including buying food and presents for children's birthdays, computer products, office materials, travel expenses and arts and crafts equipment as only a nominal charge is made to attend the club as we don't want to prevent any child from coming," she said.

If you own a local business or as an individual would like to sponsor or donate funds to Hope House North London call 020 8361 6461 or 020 8492 0006.

June 14, 2002 15:30