HARBOUR Place Day Centre has reached the semi-finals of the 2009 National Lottery Awards.

And now it needs your vote to help it progress to the final, when the UK's favourite Lottery-funded project will be chosen.

The winner in each category will feature in a special BBC1 TV show later this year, as well as receiving a cash prize of £2,000 to spend on their project.

As reported, Harbour Place Day Centre, based on Albert Street West, Grimsby, provides food, shelter, educational resources and clinics for homeless and vulnerable people in North East Lincolnshire.

Set up in 1996, it is the only centre of its kind in North East Lincolnshire and has been used by more than 110,000 people since opening.

With the aid of Lottery funding over the last six years, it has been able to increase its services to include one-to-one counselling and housing advice. On average, 45 people a day pass through its doors.

Project director Allen Young said: "It's great that we have got this far in the National Lottery Awards and it would be amazing to win!

"To get the recognition that a National Lottery Award would bring would be very special.

"Our Lottery funding is very important to us and there's no question that, without it, we wouldn't be here.

"But equally, we wouldn't be here without the support of the people of North East Lincolnshire.

"It would be great if they could demonstrate that support even more by picking up the phone or going on the website and voting for us."

Mike, 27, a regular centre user, has been sleeping on the streets on and off for the past eight years.

Growing up in a middle class family, at the age of 14 he went to a boarding school because his dad worked in the armed forces.

But at 16 he started a job, providing him with the money to fuel his growing drug addiction.

At the age of 19, he spent his first night on the streets. To keep warm he began to drink.

He said: "It isn't a life – it's an existence. It's hardest when it's cold or raining, or at the weekends.

"Then places close down and you can't get a shower. But the centre is brilliant."

Vote now

To vote for Harbour Place Day Centre call 0844 686 0835 or visit www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk/awards. Voting for the semi-finals closes at midday on Friday, July 10.