Groups bid for slice of £20,000 Market Drayton fund

Community groups in and around Market Drayton have applied for a slice of a £20,000 fund set aside by the town council.

Each year, it puts aside money to make a round of large grants to organisations. This year 11 bids have been entered. But town clerk Edward Davies said they totalled £36,050, meaning some bidders would get only a proportion of the money they asked for, or none at all.

The Maurice Chandler Sports Centre in Warrant Road, Stoke Heath, has lodged the biggest requ- est, asking for £10,000 to help with running costs.

Organisers of the Rock and Bowl Festival, which is due to take place in Market Drayton during celebrations for the diamond jubilee, have asked for £6,000 towards running costs.

Market Drayton Homework Club has applied for £3,900 and the town's Citizens' Advice Bureau has applied for £4,000.

The Arlon Twinning Association has put in a plea for £1,000 and the civic society has requested £1,500.

Organisers of Market Drayton Carnival have asked for £5,000 and music organisation Music Land has asked for £2,300.

Norton in Hales Community Sports Club has applied for £850, and the Pezenas Twinning Association has asked for £1,000. The team behind Operation Market Daffodil, a campaign to plant the flowers across town, has asked for £500.

Bids worth £7,550 have also been entered to a separate fund worth £3,130 set up by the council to support jubilee events.

Applications have been received from Lions International Pride in the Community for £1,000, Market Drayton Methodist Church for £250, Market Drayton Rotary Club for £300 and the Hales Divas Drama Group and Market Drayton Flower Club.

The applications will be considered by the town council's finance and general purposes committee at the town hall in Frogmore Road from 7.30pm on Thursday.