GOOD causes in Thornbury and Alveston have benefitted from a series of grants thanks to South Gloucestershire Councillors in the town.

The Member Awarded Funding (MAF) scheme, which was launched last year, entrusts £3,000 to each of the 70 councillors across the county to distribute to projects benefitting residents in their ward.

Representatives of the 11 applicants were invited to a meeting at Thornbury town hall on Tuesday, where Thornbury North councillor Clare Fardell and Thornbury South and Alveston councillors Maggie Tyrrell and Shirley Holloway collectively decided how to distribute their combined allowance.

A further £3,000, allocated to Cllr Dave Chubb, who represents Thornbury North, has already been awarded to Thornbury Sea Cadets, who are set to benefit from a rowing boat to help with training exercises and teamwork skills.

Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Tyrrell said: “We decided it would be incredibly difficult to allocate this money, so we felt we should get together and judge the applications as a team.”

With more than £25,000 worth of applications on the table, it was impossible for every group to get what they had applied for, with some groups not even meeting the necessary criteria.

Among those were the Chantry Community Centre in Thornbury, who received £1,150 to go towards a new chairlift, Alveston Youth Centre, who received £1,900 for a new disabled access compliant front door.

Youth support group Krunch were awarded £2,400 to go towards a 12-month behavioural support programme for children on the verge of expulsion from school.

Thornbury Carnival and Thornbury Arts Festival were each awarded £900, respectively going towards a new gazebo and towards printing and running costs.

An application by First Thornbury Scouts to go towards disabled access to the scout hut on Park Road was awarded £550, while Thornbury-based children’s charities Incredible Kids and Jigsaw were allocated £500 and £450 respectively, and the final £250 being given to the Thornbury Community Orchard.

“It is important to spread it across as many groups as we can,” said Cllr Fardell.

“If you are giving it all out in public, at least everyone knows it is being done fairly. It is just a shame we did not have more to offer.”

Once initial awards were given, the councillors then had to adjust figures to ensure all the funds were given, with some having to give up much-needed finances to accommodate others.

“It is always sad when you have to cut money,” said Cllr Holloway. “Even more so when you hear the compelling stories from each group and what they plan to use the money for.”

Cllr Tyrrell remarked at how proud she was that so many groups were active in the town, “doing such great work”.

She added: “There were a very wide range of projects coming to us, with each providing the town with a very important service.