Community benefit from bonfire night
The new year could start with a bang for charities and good causes thanks to a town's firework and bonfire display.
Oswestry Town Council and the Borderland Rotary Club have set up a fund to give out grants from money raised from the annual event.
Groups have until the end of the month to put forward applications.
Last year the Borderland Rotary Club stepped in to help run the event after the Treble Niners group of retired and retained firefighters stepped down following three decades of volunteering.
In its place a new Oswestry’s bonfire and fireworks community funding scheme was established.
Town clerk, David Preston, said: "Each year the intention is for all the income from the community event to be given out in community donations to support local clubs, organisations and other local events.
"The establishment of the fund is as a result of the town council deciding not to recover their costs of firework purchase each year and this is added to the actual profits from the event."
He said that over the last 29 years of the event in excess of £80,000 has been distributed to local good causes.
Applications are now invited for funds available from the 2017 bonfire and fireworks evening.
Applicants must be based in or focussed on Oswestry itself. Grants will not fund staffing or administrative costs and the organisation must have a bank or building society account.
Funding will be given to initiatives which improve quality of life, promote and increase participation and volunteering, support the use of local facilities, support the purchase of equipment or fund educational visits or activities.
"Flexibility will be maintained to support any local good cause as considered appropriate. Normally no grant will exceed £500 to ensure that the widest possible benefit from the overall fund is achieved," Mr Preston added.
Application forms are available from Oswestry Town Council and the closing date for return is January 31.
For further information, contact the town council on (01691) 680222 or or e-mail: enquiries@oswestry-tc.gov.uk
The firework and bonfire event takes place each year at Brogyntyn Park at the rear of the town's fire station.
It was set up by local firefighters to encourage people to attend a safe community event rather than have fireworks and bonfires in their back gardens and annually sees thousands of people attend.
