A VOLUNTARY organisation is celebrating after winning thousands of pounds to help continue its work with parents whose children have Asperger’s.

Cheshire Aspergers Parents Support in Helsby has been handed £5,000 by Lloyds Banking Group Community Fund which will go toward supporting families with Asperger’s syndrome or autism spectrum disorder, whether diagnosed or not.

Chairwoman Joanne Garner set up ChAPS due to her son Daniel having Asperger’s and said it was humbling people had thrown their backing behind them.

She said: “We were delighted when we found out we would be receiving this money and it will make such a huge difference.

“We currently support 550 families around Chester but with Asperger’s being the biggest growing disability in the UK, we are only going to get bigger and this money will come in so much use.”

Lloyds sustainable business director Paul Turner said: “We are proud to be able to help ChAPS continue the great work they are doing in offering care to children with Asperger’s and we look forward to seeing the difference the award will make.”

Lloyds Banking Group, the largest financial services investor in UK communities, has provided funding to 132 UK organisations through its Community Fund in 2012.

To find out more about the group’s community investment, visit www.lloydsbankinggroup.com/ community.

ChAPS chairwoman Jo Garner has more reason to celebrate as she has been nominated for a Your Champions award.

The Chronicle has been inundated with nominations for Jo, put forward for the Person of the Year category, in helping make so much progress in the two-and-a-half years the group has been going.