TWO York charities are celebrating an early Christmas windfall after scooping cash from the owners of the Evening Press.

SNAPPY (Special Needs Activity and Play Provision in York) and Accessible Arts have won almost £10,000 from a half-million dollar bonanza from the charity arm of the Evening Press's American parent company, Gannett.

Twice a year, the Gannett Foundation opens its purse and invites Evening Press readers to bid for funds to support their work.

SNAPPY has won £5,000 to help create a sensory room for children and young people with disabilities.

Set up in 1982, the charity is based at Burton Stone Community Centre, in Evelyn Crescent, and offers play, recreational and pre-vocational opportunities to children and young people with special needs. It also provides a training and support service for parents, carers and volunteers.

The new venture will offer a peaceful haven which is both stimulating and calming for youngsters from across the York area.

Among the equipment needed is an inflatable chill-out room, a tactile crocodile which also serves as SNAPPY's mascot and logo, along with a dancing water tray, musical squares, padded cushion and a tactile wall. This is the second time SNAPPY has won a Gannett Foundation award, having scooped £5,000 three years ago.

Anne Pemberton, Snappy projects manager, said: "We have been trying to get this project off the ground for three years - the equipment is extremely expensive.

"The senior group will now start some decorating and then we will be able to fill it with lovely things."

Accessible Arts, in Tadcaster Road, York, has won £4,600 which will be used to plan and stage a musical extravaganza at the National Centre for Early Music on March 11, 2005.

The charity is renowned for its inspired and entertaining music theatre performances, all of which are new commissioned works, written, produced and performed by people with learning difficulties.

The projects involve partnerships with able-bodied professionals and amateurs and challenge the boundaries of the arts world.

The event brings together Accessible Arts, AMICUS York and Cube Media, and will combine interactive and pre-recorded music by the Soundweavers, a group of adults with learning difficulties.

The group members will work alongside children from Applefields and Poppleton Ousebank Schools with live sounds provided by the Minster Minstrels, young musicians who perform on Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque instruments.

Rose Kent, development manager, said: "I am absolutely thrilled at the award. It makes a huge difference and means we can upgrade some of our technical equipment. It is great to have opportunities for some of the most disabled people in the community to have access to some of these technologies."

Updated: 11:19 Friday, November 19, 2004