Banbury Young Homelessness Project has been given a grant by the Gannett Foundation, run by the Banbury Cake’s parent company, for £3,140 for its five-a-side football team, which has started playing in a local league.

Jenny Harris, head of service for the Castle Street project, which provides help for the young homeless aged 13 to 25, said: “This is fantastic and will pay for kits, training, equipment and match expenses. The team won a game last week.

“We provide advice and information for young homeless people and family mediation to help young people return home whenever possible.

“We also have a drop-in centre and teach young people life skills for independent living.”

Nine years ago, carers at Oxfordshire Crossroads were delighted when they received a new van thanks to an appeal on the popular children’s TV programme Blue Peter. But now the van is struggling to get up the hills, and the care organisation in East Oxford needs a replacement.

As a result, it bid for a grant from the Gannett Foundation and has been rewarded with a grant of £25,300 – one of the biggest to be made to date by the Gannett Foundation.

Oxfordshire Crossroads is based in Hurst Street and has been supporting carers and providing care for adults and children of all ages since 1978.

Staff have a contract with Oxfordshire County Council and help to provide care for people with physical disabilities or learning difficulties, and respite care for carers.

Chief executive Mary Rainford said: “We got a van about nine years ago thanks to a Blue Peter appeal, but it is coming to the end of its life.

“This grant will make a big difference to us because we will now be able to buy a replacement, which will then be adapted with a ramp to take passengers in wheelchairs.

“We use the van all the time to take people on days out or on holidays to Butlins or Center Parcs.

“We have 90 staff working across Oxfordshire and we help about 1,000 people every year.

“We never expected to get the grant and we are blown away by this.”

Across the UK, Gannett gives out £250,000 to good causes every six months.

Community projects can submit applications for a grant of up to £5,000 but larger organisations can receive more.

News about the next round of Gannett Foundation grants will appear in the Cake early next year.