SINCE it began in 1995, the Churches Housing Action Team, which covers the Mid Devon area, has always held a vision to prevent homelessness by helping those who do not qualify for statutory help, but who still need support to gain and maintain tenancies.

CHAT is now facing a funding crisis after it was told that the £45,000 it receives annually for its Floating Tenancy Support Service from Devon County Council will not be available from April 2014.

CHAT says that to be able to continue its service into the future it will need to find this £45,000, in addition to the £95,000 it already has to generate each year from generous benefactors in the forms of grants, trusts and donations.

The cut comes after it has already made the difficult decision to close our Youth Housing Project from April 2014, as a direct result of changes in Government funding.

While CHAT is certainly not closing, it says it will continue to give free and impartial housing advice (it delivered 1,036 advice sessions in 2013), deposit guarantees and to run it's emergency food store, winter fuel poverty schemes and other charitable activities, to help prevent homelessness in Mid Devon.

It will also continue to give Floating Tenancy Support. Last year it helped 78 vulnerable people with budgeting, debts, benefits and other issues, but it does need the public's help to continue funding this service into the future.

Here is what some of these clients said:

"Many thanks to CHAT who basically saved my life, got me back on my feet and gave me the will to function again. Their belief and non-judgemental help got me through a very bad time in my life and I will always be grateful to them."

"Thanks for your help, you've been a light at the end of a very long tunnel."

"When I was first seen I was in a very low place and really struggling, now I am a totally different person. I finally have the confidence to manage day-to-day chores and activities and it's all down to the help I received...words cannot express how thankful I am to my support worker."

CHAT works towards independence for its clients and has been doing the same with its own finances, as it does not want to solely rely on government funding.

In 2011 it launched a Giver of Hope Scheme where supporters can pledge a monthly amount to give hope to those in need.

This year the charity will generate around £25,000 through this scheme. Although this is a good start, the charity needs to raise more.

If you would like to know about the Giver of Hope scheme, please contact Churches Housing Action Team, 28 Gold Street, Tiverton EX16 6PY.

You can telephone 01884 255606 or email: [email protected]">[email protected] . Alternatively, visit the website: http://www.chatmid.org">www.chatmid.org .