Dunfermline abuse charity Safe Space blasted Fife’s social work department for cutting its funding by 13% after accepting a cheque from a group of school pupils.

The Victoria Street organisation was presented with £865 by Woodmill High School’s charities committee yesterday.

Pupils raised £2600 by organising activities such as festive fayres, cake stalls, sports events and concerts.

Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres and the Sierra Leone War Trust were also allocated a share of the sum.

Safe Space, which supports adults abused as children, said it would rely even more on donations following funding cuts.

This year, it asked Fife Council social work department for £126,500 but was given £100,543, a 13% reduction on the £116,000 it was awarded last year.

According to the charity’s statistics, an estimated 70,000 adults in Fife were abused as children so demand for the service is high.

Safe Space chief executive Jayne Scott said such was the volume of referrals, including from social work services, that clients often had to wait up to four months for counselling.

The council said the award made to Safe Space reflected social work priorities but Ms Scott said, “These proposals are completely out of step with the growing national agenda.

“On this issue, Fife as a region has led the way and is known nationally to be one of the main leaders on service provision.

“It is therefore particularly puzzling why this proposal states that these services do not reflect social work’s own priorities.

“From every angle, what we provide is value for money. Two weeks’ notice to implement a reduction in funding is not acceptable. Our existence is precarious enough without social work services undermining us.”

Ms Scott added that the pupils’ donation illustrated public appreciation for the services provided.

Woodmill High rector Mike Gilmour praised his pupils for their efforts.

He said, “I’m always full of admiration for any group of seniors in any school that put others before themselves and make an effort to put citizenship into practice.”

The charity has contacted politicians and other agencies to try to influence the funding decision, to be reviewed after the elections.

Anne McGovern, who remains council leader until the local elections, said, “I share the group’s concerns but ultimately the new council will make decisions about the future funding of such organisations.”