Hear The Mums, a group of mothers from the St Gabriels Early Intervention Centre (Hear The Children) at Castle Hill, met with the Premier last week in their appeal for $200,000.

Yvonne Keane said the mothers would use this money to independently operate the underfunded centre for the 12 enrolled students in 2010.

``But the Premier wants us to go to businesses and get $150,000, then he may consider contributing the last quarter,'' Mrs Keane said.

``We don't have time to do that. If we had been given six months or a year we could have started fund-raising, but we only have a couple of weeks to secure the future of the centre.''

NSW Minister for Education Verity Firth has promised to accept the group's late application for funding under The Intervention Support Program.

The group will be eligible for $20-30,000, which will keep the centre open for one month.

``But we have a plan for the next six months and are determined to see this centre survive,'' Mrs Keane said.

``Our children have come to love this service, which they deserve, and it's not their fault the Government does not fund early intervention for hearing loss equitably.

``So we have to fight on their behalf.''

The group has formulated a three-point plan.

They will lobby The Business Review Weekly's top 100 companies and other stakeholders to sponsor one of the 12 students for $10,000.

The group will also appeal to the Prime Minister's wife, Therese Rein, to be a patron and will form a co-operative with other early intervention centres.

``When people say you can't do something it's like a red flag to a bull,'' Mrs Keane said.

``We're not going to give up and drop it, we're going to use the obstacles as springboards.''

If any businesses would like to support the centre in 2010, call: 0414685669.