A WEST Devon charity which helps people tackle drink and drugs problems through working on a farm faces a race against time to overcome a financial setback.
The Gilead Foundation, based at Risdon Farm near Jacobstowe had asked for Government help meeting an increase in milk quota prices.
The Foundation appealed directly to Prime Minister Tony Blair for help but received a letter from Lord Whitty, Minister for Farming at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs explaining that Government help for the charity would contravene European Community law.
As part of the rehabilitation work at the 320-acre farm at Risdon, students work on the foundation?s dairy farm.
With the deadline of March 31 rapidly approaching, Gilead are still trying to secure funding or support to lease or purchase the required milk quota.
Milk produced on the farm is processed and packed by the students and sold to shops and businesses across the area.
An increase in quota prices has meant that where the charity had expected to pay around £9,000 to lease its extra milk quota, it is now facing a bill of around five times that.
Milk quota leasing prices were continuing to rise as the Times went to press adding to the problems faced by the charity.
Chris Girdler, spokesman for Gilead Foundations said: ?We hope that our appeal to farmers and other supporters will help us through this financial difficulty.
?At the latest leasing prices we may have to raise as much as £55,000 by the end of the month.?
Lord Whitty?s letter stated that charitable status did not allow exemption from the EU milk quota rules and that for any national government to aid milk producers directly or indirectly in this way would contravene European law.
The charity?s efforts to find sponsorship have so far been unsuccessful and the charity is now renewing its appeal to farmers who may be coming out of milk production or who may have spare quota to consider donating or offering at a reduced price.