A LEYLAND kids' club can now look after even more children than ever -- thanks to a £10,000 cash boost.

A commitment from Pearl to provide funding for the next three years has meant that St Anne's After School Club, Slater Lane, Leyland, has been able to appoint a new playworker, Kerry Howard.

Club manager Margaret Temmen said: "We are delighted to receive Pearl's generous support which has enabled us to offer our services to more local children and gives the parents the chance to take up more work and training opportunities."

Pearl, the life and pensions arm of financial services giant, AMP, is supporting the club as part of a £2 million investment to support out of school childcare across the UK in partnership with the national charity -- Kids' Clubs Network.

Helen Haynes, Pearl's community affairs manager, added: "We are delighted to be able to support St Anne's After School Club through Pearl's Kids' Clubs Programme and are very pleased that the club has appointed Kerry.

"Pearl is at the heart of the community and we know from our home visits that balancing work and childcare is a big challenge.

"We believe in putting something back in to the community and that is why we are supporting this after school's club."

The club offers a safe place to play for four to 14 year olds outside school hours, at times that enable parents to work or study.