Community grants worth more than £21,000 awarded by Newton Abbot Town Council

Community grants worth more than £21,000 awarded by Newton Abbot Town Council

NEWTON Abbot Town Council has awarded grants worth more than £21,000 to charities and community groups.

Those organisations benefitting from the financial boost included a fledgling primary school parents and teachers association, a multiple sclerosis support group, transport campaigners and youth services.

The grants ranged in size from £420 for the Wombles of Hele Park Common voluntary litter-pickers to £4,000 for the THAT Food Bank.

In total, ten awards were made with a combined value of £21,336.

The decisions were made at a meeting of the authority’s Finance and Audit Committee at Newton’s Place on Wednesday October 28.

Present was Henri Treece, Treasurer with THAT Food Bank.

She told members that in the past year her charity, based across three shops in Queensway, had distributed more than 1,400 food parcels containing 59,000 meals to help adults and children struggling with food poverty.

THAT, named Organisation of the Year at last week’s Stars of Teignbridge Awards, had also provided energy support worth more than £2,000, issued 269 hygiene packs, 155 cleaning packs and 36 home starter packs.

But it needed help with the purchase of new commercial fridges and freezers as the old equipment was expensive to run and becoming unreliable, resulting in food waste.

Ms Treece told the meeting: ‘We would really appreciate your help in keeping this food bank running.’

Mayor Cllr Louise Cooke had opened THAT’s new Community Store earlier in the year and told the meeting: ‘The people who came were so appreciative and this is a really important grant application and I propose that we accept it.’

Cllr Colin Davidson agreed, saying his church donated food items to THAT. He added: ‘I’ve been in the three shops and they do a marvellous job.’

Chair Cllr Alex Hall seconded Cllr Cooke’s proposal and the £4,000 grant was awarded.

Another beneficiary on the night was the Newton Abbot Bereavement Support Group whose application for £240 was bettered with a grant of £500 after members heard that the organisation was facing a new cost for public liability insurance.

The photo shows Committee Chair Cllr Alex Hall (front right) with representatives from the successful organisations.