A youth club in Wembley is hoping to raise £15,000 to buy a minibus to carry out its work helping the community.

The Ansar Youth Project, in London Road, engages vulnerable young people aged 11 to 17 and has so far raised £2.680 towards its target.

During the pandemic the charity provided some 150 people with food parcels and 1,400 meals a week but now are struggling to get the food and supplies to all those who need it due to lack of transport options.

A minibus is also critical for its youth programmes to take young people out on day trips.

It would also allow youths with physical disabilities to attend their centre and run weekly trips for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds or daily during the holidays.

One young man, Jamal, said the charity has helped him with anger issues, Abandoned by his mother when he was three months old, he went into care, but several house moves and he lost trust in the system.

While in one foster care home he was left with bruisers by the person supposed to care for him.

He has since found happiness with a foster caring guardians, who he calls ‘mum and dad’,

They have told him he can continue to live with them when he reaches 18, the age when most young people in care move to independent living.

Most of the members at Ansar Youth Project come from very low income households, are in care or being bullied. Some suffer from mental health issues, come from abusive homes, are refugees or have special needs.

During the covid pandemic they were supporting many homes where families were living in isolation and unable to access food or medical supplies due to their low incomes.

Muddasir Dyer, operations manager, said: “Supplying food isn’t our normal priority but during lockdown all the staff got stuck in and young people came to help us in helping the wider community.

“We run youth services in Brent and a minibus would be helpful. We support roughly 400 young people so we could take groups on weekly trips after lockdown has eased.

“The young people we work with are severely disadvantaged and it would allow us to take them places such Thorpe Park, Alton Towers or the cinema.”

To donate go to: gofundme.com/f/van-for-food-deliveries-to-the-most-vulnerable