Cheshire Streetwise wants to run a skills cafe which helps people with mental health problems, recovering drug addicts, the homeless or those who have been out of work for a long period of time.

It is aimed at providing a stepping stone to other group settings such as a job club, college courses, volunteering or employment.

The current skills cafe at the Elim Christian Life centre on Parsonage Street supports more than 50 people at the moment.

But Cheshire Streetwise is hoping to win up to £10,000 in funding to expand its support and do outreach work on local estates.

In order to win the cash from the Aviva Community Fund Cheshire Streetwise needs votes via the website community-fund.aviva.co.uk.

Maggie Falconer, who runs Cheshire Streetwise, a community interest company, said: “The funding would allow me to bring more help and support to those people in need, who seem to slip through the net of our benefits system.

“They need to be nurtured, valued and feel that they are able to contribute to society and they can have better opportunities in life.”