MORE than £150,000 worth of grants of been awarded to support the arts and rebuilding of an athletics track in the city.

Salisbury City Council awarded the money to Wiltshire Creative, Salisbury Museum, Wessex Community Action and South Wilts Grammar School as part of the City Grants Fund Scheme.

Wiltshire Creative, the organisation bringing together Salisbury Arts Centre, Salisbury International Arts Festival and Salisbury Playhouse, was awarded £40,800 for 2019/20 and £41,600 for 2020/21.

Wiltshite Creative's executive director Sebastian Warrack, said: “We are delighted that we have received a grant through the Salisbury City Grants Fund.

"It will enable us to continue to develop our work with Salisbury city residents through our programme of work across Salisbury Arts Centre, Salisbury International Arts Festival and Salisbury Playhouse.

"In particular, this work will focus on older people, early years, groups with profound and multiple learning difficulties and other vulnerable and disadvantaged groups. We are very grateful to Salisbury City Council for their valuable support.”

Charity Wessex Community Action, which works with and on behalf of voluntary and community sector, was awarded £20,000 for 2019/20.

Amber Skyring, who is the chief executive officer of Wessex Community Action, said “This funding will enable us to expand our offer of support and advice to groups and contribute to development of some new areas of work.”

Salisbury Museum was given £16,000 for 2019/20 and £16,000 for 2020/21.

Museum director Adrian Green said: “Salisbury City Council have been supporting our family events programme at Salisbury Museum since 2011 – the renewal of this grant will enable us to continue to develop an exciting range of activities for local families both at the museum and other venues across the city.”

And £20,000 was awarded to South Wilts Grammar School to replace its athletics track.

Head teacher Michele Chilcott said “It will enable us, along with the generous funding received by Wiltshire Council, to replace the existing athletics track in August 2019, for the benefit of the local community.”

Councillor Sven Hocking, the chairman of the Salisbury City Council services committee, added: "As a great believer in the benefits of sport for all ages and abilities I am delighted that the city council were able to provide the final piece of funding for the Salisbury Athletics track which means the project can now finally get underway and I look forward to seeing the end product in use for the benefit of the local community.’

The Salisbury City Grants Fund is aimed at supporting community led events, purchases and projects that improve the quality of life and wellbeing of residents in the city.