A NEWPORT group which has helped hundreds of women in need of help needs urgent funding to keep it going.

Women in Need was set up in Pill by Paula Christie in 2004 with funding from a charity award scheme.

Since then Ms Christie and her small group of volunteers have helped prostitutes, victims of domestic abuse, women with alcohol and drug problems, refugees and asylum seekers.

But now the group is in danger of folding as the charity funding is running out. Ms Christie, 39, was given a grant of £3,000 by social entrepreneur charity UnLtd to get the group up and running in 2004, and then won further funding of £15,000 from the charity to keep the group going.

But the charity have given the maximum grants they can and are unable to offer any more cash.

Ms Christie said: "We are now getting to the end of that funding and we need something positive to happen. We have to keep going.

"To keep this organisation going is the most important thing to me."

She worked with Gwent Association of Voluntary Organisations (GAVO) as ethnic minority development officer as well as helping a mental health project with victims of abuse.

She also volunteered to help the homeless through the King's Church Caring Hands project in Pill.

She said: "My life experiences and being around women with problems led to me setting up Women in Need.

"I look at the women forced into prostitution to make ends meet and know that at one point that could have been me.

"I was strong enough to get myself out of that route.

"I wanted to reach out to women who couldn't access services that were out there. "I wanted to show them that there is hope and to be there for them."

Ms Christie's mobile is on 24 hours and along with four volunteers she offers constant help and support for any women in need.

Her varied caseload could include anything from helping prostitutes find health services, helping abuse victims find counselling, helping mothers in custody cases, or just being a shoulder to cry on for disadvantaged women.

The group's offices also play host to various courses for women including computing, healthy eating and parenting classes.

Ms Christie said: "It's tough, but when you see these women who have moved on and made a change in their lives it makes it worth it."

* Women in Need are looking for donations to help them continue their work. To help call 0800 7310298.