A CHARITY providing training in car mechanics to youngsters has been awarded a grant of more than £370,000.

Wheelbase, in Newark Street, Sneinton, helps young offenders, the unemployed and young people whose prospects have been held back because they are not academically minded.

The project received £370,951 in total from the Big Lottery Fund for its Wheels of Inspiration out-of-hours programme.

Chief executive Mick Clifford said the charity was "thrilled and delighted" about the grant, which will keep the programme rolling for another four years.

He added: "Wheels of Inspiration will allow access to first-rate youth work.

"Young people already see their services disappearing. So, it is fantastic to offer something positive."

A 19-year-old known as Goldfish, who did not want to use his real name, has been using the service for around ten months.

He said: "I think it's brilliant that it can be run for another four years.

"I will be here for as long as possible.

"It's more like a family for most of these kids here. There are not many ways in which they haven't helped me."

Goldfish now wants to help other young people who use the service and ultimately wants to build his own motorbikes.

"Before I came here I didn't know much about motorbikes, but that has definitely changed," he said.

The centre is run as an independent school delivering alternative education during the day and was rated as "good" by Ofsted last month.

Wheels of Inspiration offers work skills learning and sports activities to young people aged between 14 and 19 in the evenings, at weekends and during school holidays.

It aims to prevent antisocial behaviour, promote self-esteem, independence and teamwork.

Kim Thornley, who is responsible for finance and monitoring at Wheelbase, said no one had expected the grant but everyone was "over the moon" about it.

He added: "There are always more people going for the grant than there is money.

"Sometimes it's just out of pure luck whether they choose you.

"I'm sure everyone is a deserving case."

The cash has come from the Reaching Communities grant of the Big Lottery Fund which has awarded more than £35 million to 150 projects across the East Midlands since 2005.