CHIPPENHAM Museum and Heritage Centre is among groups which have been given almost £35,000 from the town’s Area Board.

The board gave £4,500 to the museum to help fund an embroidered tapestry project to commemorate the centenary of the end of the First World War. The money will allow every school in Chippenham to be able to take part in the creation of the tapestry.

The grant is paying local artist Fi Redmond, who is creating the tapestry and has visited every primary school in the town. She will help pupils create textile art pieces which will feature in the exhibition in November, in time for Armistice Day.

The children attended workshops creating small pieces of art showing the history of the war and the roles the town had to play.

Learning and outreach officer at Chippenham Museum, Andrew Skelton, also ran history workshops, explaining the effects the war had on Chippenham.

Mr Skelton, said: “We have been working with every primary school and the secondary schools are creating their own mini-version of the art piece and pictures. “We went into the primary schools and the children created small textile art pieces, working on a different aspect of Chippenham in the war. They were also asked to design a picture, and one picture from each school will be chosen to feature in the banner.

“I am over the moon and incredibly proud of how the schools have been nothing but supportive.

“We have had interest from community groups who are going to be invited to work on the project as well.”

Chippenham Town Council has contributed £500 towards the project and Chippenham Borough Lands Charity £4,000.

The Area Board also gave cash to Chippenham Park Run to go towards purchasing a defibrillator, Castle Combe Parish Council for the restoration of the monument, Monkton Park Primary School for their outdoor classroom, Grittleton Cricket Club for improvements to the pavilion and a commemorative clock and Neighbourhood Watch signs.