WESTBURY Area Board has awarded more than £20,000 to good causes in and around the town.
Projects from healthy living to heritage were included in the 14 grant applications approved by Westbury Area Board on Thursday 11th February at Heywood Village Hall.
The board agreed grants totalling £23,265 for a variety of organisations from Westbury and the surrounding villages.
Board chairman Councillor Russell Hawker said he was delighted with the wide range of projects and groups involved. These applications used up the money remaining for this financial year, meaning the entire grant budget of £30,000 has been allocated.
Cllr Hawker said, “They touch many parts of our community and cater for old and young, able bodied and people with learning difficulties. It is a great cross-section and I am confident the grants scheme will give a welcome cash injection to some very worthwhile projects,”
Blue plaques marking a heritage trail around the historic streets of Westbury was just one of the projects funded by the board which agreed £1,500 as match funding towards the project. The other £1,500 will come from Westbury Town Council.
Other funding will help provide a secure equipment storage shed for local Guides, realistic wounds simulation kits for first aid for local Army cadets and containers for tents and equipment for the Scouts.
Fairfield Farm College at Dilton Marsh received £5,000 towards a project to improve catering training facilities. The farm college provides facilities for young people with learning difficulties and staff are even hoping the project may lead to the opening of an on site café, giving valuable work experience to their students.
Sports and fitness featured high on the funding list too, with grants helping to fence an extension to Bratton recreation ground, new practice nets at Westbury and District Cricket Club and water polo goals and equipment for Westbury Amateur Swimming Club.
Retired people will get the chance to get fit and meet new friends as part of one of the projects – the Fitness and Friendship Club which will be held at Grassacres Day centre in Westbury, will provide both gentle exercise and social activities – and organisers are even hoping it might include Tai Chi sessions in Westbury park.
The project is backed by the Westbury BA13+ Community Area Partnership which itself received funding of £2,124 from the area board. It also helped with another match funding project – providing a laptop and printer for the White Horse Day centre.
Relate received a grant of £990 to pay for a Westbury- based counselling service for local families and children, while Westbury First Responders which provides emergency first aid support, received £1,000 towards the purchase of a defibrillator.
People in the community will soon be taking part in a review of the future of the town thanks to a £10,000 vision and scoping study planned by the Westbury Town Council – and part funded by the area board.
The area board meeting on was the last in this financial year, and the grants which were approved means the whole of the annual budget is now used up. However from April 1st the board will have a budget of more than £40,000 and is looking forward to receiving more grants applications from local organisations.
For more information about the grants scheme visit www.wiltshire.gov. uk/areaboards or call community area manager Sally Hendry on 01373 864714 or email sally.hendry@ wiltshire.gov.uk
The next area board meeting will held at Matravers School on Thursday April 22nd.
Pictured: Nigel Inseal of Westbury First Resp-onders, who received £1000 towards emergency equipment.
