Wessex Water Community Fund, managed by Somerset Community Foundation (SCF), has recently awarded its first grants to 14 projects across the county - including two from Frome.

The fund awarded £15,500 plus an additional £3,000 from SCF Foundation Grants and aims to bring communities together across the county, offering grants of up to £1,500 to smaller community groups and charities.

Justin Sargent, Chief Executive at Somerset Community Foundation, said: "We are absolutely delighted to be working in partnership with Wessex Water to deliver the Wessex Water Community Fund in our county.

"Building stronger communities in our towns and villages is absolutely key to improving the wellbeing and quality of life of so many people across Somerset, particularly those who are isolated, marginalised or disadvantaged in other ways. This fund will make a difference to hundreds of people."

The funded projects include a £1,450 grant to Openstorytellers in Frome. They will use the funding to run a project called Be Green, which will include educational workshops around the theme of reducing our impact on the environment.

Jade Ogden, Projects and Events Manager at Openstorytellers, said: "The key to making individual changes is truly understanding the extent of the impact that our choices have - from recycling to saving water and energy to choosing more ethical and local products when shopping.

"Our workshops will connect people with learning disabilities and autism to these themes and help to motivate them to make changes both individually and collectively.

"Our educational workshops will also enable our members to connect health and well-being with the environment, by increasing awareness around the importance of drinking water for health, understanding the impact on health of sugary drinks and investigating healthier alternatives."

Kirsty Scarlett, Head of Community Engagement for Wessex Water, added: "We are very pleased to be working with SCF, who are experts in identifying and supporting local projects that make a real impact.

"The applications for funding were very interesting and featured different ways of working with marginalised groups to achieve community cohesion. We are very pleased to have funded 14 community focused projects from all across Somerset."

Groups awarded in this round, totalling £15,500 plus an additional £3,000 in match funding from SCF:

• Openstorytellers, Frome: £1,450

• Purple Elephant, Frome: £1,000

• All Saints Church, Isle Brewers: £1,500

• Crispin Hall Trust, Street: £1,411

• Goathurst Village Hall: £500

• Hamdon Youth Group: £1,000

• South West Fishing for Life, countywide: £1,500

• St Francis Youth Club, Bridgwater: £1,500

• Friendship Circle of Langford Budville and Runnington and Local Area: £500

• Speke Hall, Dowlish Wake, £500 (plus an additional £2,000 match funding from SCF)

• Timberscome John Arlott Playground Association: £1,350

• Ups and Downs, countywide: £1,337

• YMCA Taunton: £1,452

• Wellington Community Counselling, £500 (plus an additional £1,000 match funding from SCF)

The Wessex Water Fund opens for applications once a year and the next funding round is planned for January. For more information visit www.wessexwater.co.uk/community.

If you run a local community project and would like to find out more about grant funding in general, please call Somerset Community Foundation on: 01749 344949 or visit: www.somersetcf.org.uk.