FIVE community projects in West Oxfordshire have been given grants totalling over £10,000.

Cottsway Housing has given funding to: Ascott-under-Wychwood Cricket Club (£1,935); Joss Searchlight (£1,285); Synolos (£2,500); West Oxfordshire MS Society (£1,285), and Witney Radio (£1,837).

The cricket club will buy a second hand pitch roller, while children’s cancer support charity Joss Searchlight will use the money to host a ‘Witney Wonderland’ fundraising event later this year.

The money given to Synolos will help provide training activities for 16-24 year-olds, who have lost their job during the coronavirus pandemic or simply want to improve their work skills or mental health.

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Specially trained yoga and pilates instructors will provide online classes for for the West Oxfordshire MS Society, while Witney Radio will buy a small caravan or trailer to convert into an outside broadcast studio, to take to events.

The projects had applied to the Cottsway Community Fund, a scheme which supports local groups.

Cottsway customers can vote for the projects they would like to support and have a say on the amount of funding that is given.