A charity looking to buy and train an assistance dog for a child with adverse medical conditions has been gifted £1,000.

Peterborough-based Make Them Smile applied to Persimmon Homes East Midlands for support from its Community Champions campaign and was awarded the funds towards its £7,900 target.

Persimmon Homes’ national match-funding programme Community Champions seeks to support groups and charities working to improve the quality of life for local people.

Trustee Tony Stirk, who made the application, explained: "We relieve sickness and poverty and preserve the health of children and children with disabilities and/or special or specific care needs by means of providing equipment, respite, holidays, or other such necessities.”

"This generous donation will be put towards the cost of purchasing, and then training an autism support dog for a child with autism, ADHD, anxiety (associated with autism), hypermobility and sensory processing disorder. The cost of purchasing and then training an assistance dog to the required level, is £7,900.”

“The Community Champions gift has boosted our fundraising effort and we are very grateful for the support shown.”

Nova Eames, sales director at Persimmon Homes East Midlands, said: “We’re pleased to be able to back such a worthy cause.”

“After reading the application for funding we were impressed by the support being offered by the team at Make Them Smile. It’s great to be able to assist with this donation and support its work.”

Persimmon Homes match-funding programme Community Champions seeks to support groups and charities working to improve the quality of life for local people.

Each month the Peterborough-based builder donates up to £2,000 to community groups across the region. This also happens across Persimmon’s other 31 operating areas, meaning up to £64,000 is dished out every single month – a total of £768,000 a year.

Nova added: “We would love to hear from more clubs, groups and good causes as we look to allocate more funding over the coming months.”

“All we ask is that the group or charity has already worked hard to raise money themselves, and we will then match this effort with funding of up to £1,000.”

To apply for funding, visit www.persimmonhomes.com/charity and fill in the simple application form.