CHILDREN are amongst those who are to benefit from grants totalling £260,000 made by Wiltshire Times parent company Gannett.

The West Wilts Special Needs Activity Scheme, based in Trowbridge, has been awarded a grant of £1,500.

The group runs a two-week activity and entertainment scheme in the summer holidays for children up to the age of 19 from all over west Wiltshire.

On the application form a spokesman for the group wrote: "Our scheme is the only one of its kind for children with special needs.

"Many of our children are unable to access mainstream activities. The summer break is a long time for children who like, and need, routine in their lives.

"They enjoy the activities we offer and are able to take part in creative and musical workshops."

All of the 80 children and teenagers who use the two-week scheme have special needs, ranging from learning difficulties to severe mental and physical handicaps.

The group takes the children on a day trip each year and plans to use the grant to fund this year's trip.

To make the trip possible a special coach with facilities for disabled children has to be hired and volunteers give the youngsters one-to-one care.

Parents contribute towards the scheme and it also receives funding from local councils and other grant making organisations but in total it costs £10,000 a year to run.

Children at the North Wilts Holiday Club, which provides day care for severely disabled youngsters in a youth club sort of environment, will also benefit, with a £1,500 grant being given.

The group provides transport for the children from their homes to its base at St Nicholas School in Chippenham and wants the grant to help towards these costs.

Children are not the only ones to benefit from a Gannett grant, with the Trowbridge-based Monday Wednesday Club being given £2,000.

The club provides a friendly atmosphere in which people with learning difficulties and the physically handicapped can meet up and take part in various activities, including music, carpentry, keep fit and darts.

The grant will be used to fund a sports project to allow members to take part in activities such as ten-pin bowling, bowls and skittles.