GRANTS totalling £96,000 have been awarded to various Salisbury groups with a focus on helping the community.

£5,000 was given to St Michael’s Community Centre by the Wiltshire Community Foundation, to fund new activities and clubs, as well as help launch a community fridge.

A weekly cooking course, children’s group, life skills course, back-to-work group and art therapy will be just some of the sessions the centre will soon be offering.

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Manager of the centre, Ineta Zeile, said: “Judging by the sign-ups for the pilot projects run to date there is evidence that the activities organised by the centre provide a good match to the constantly changing needs and problems of the local community.”

Care Home Volunteers has been awarded £10,000 by the foundation across two years, which will help volunteers to support people living in care homes across the city, in hopes to tackle isolation they may face.

Other groups who were awarded grants include Alzheimer’s Support, Community First and Headway Salisbury and South Wiltshire.

Wiltshire Community Foundation chief executive Rosemary Macdonald said: “I am delighted that this money will support such a wide range of groups who provide vital services for their communities, addressing major issues such as homelessness, loneliness, youth aspiration and mental health.

“This is what we do best, identify where the need is and then provide the funding to help tackle it.”