NEWBURY Town Council has awarded £14,635 to 17 local charities to support them in their work for the community.

The projects to benefit include the Newbury Lockdown Wood promoted by Newbury Friends of the Earth, Eight Bells programme post Lockdown, making the restaurant at Fair Close Day Centre Covid-secure and the ongoing youth work at the Nightingales Estate (Community Youth Project).

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All of the projects are registered on The Good Exchange, where the council’s contribution will be match funded.

Councillor Martin Colston, Leader of the Council, said: “The Council is very pleased to support all of these projects, which all benefit our community.

"Many of the charities are working to help the more vulnerable and at-risk people who are facing even more serious challenges because of the coronavirus pandemic.

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"We still have £5,600 in grant funds remaining, some of which are available to any person or organisation working to help our community through the Covid crisis and the balance will be distributed at our next Grants Subcommittee meeting in January 2021. "Any projects benefitting the residents of Newbury and which are registered on The Good exchange between now and the closing date in January will be considered for Grant Aid.

"We would also like to acknowledge the great work of the Good Exchange who provide the funding platform and match funding for all of these grants."