A GROUP of young people have been chosen to represent Cirencester in a national music scheme.

The Big Music Project, funded by the Big Lottery, will see the ten local young people set the challenge to complete a music-related project to benefit their community.

Their project for this year is The Phoenix Festival. Returning for a second time at the end of August this year, the Phoenix Festival is a popular local music festival run entirely by volunteers.

Many of the young people involved with this year’s project are part of the town’s youth group Ozone.

Youth worker at Ozone Cirencester Clare Bartlett said the scheme was an amazing opportunity for local young people.

“As well as having the chance to learn new skills and gain accreditation through organising their own music project in our community, they will all have the chance to be part of the wider project,” she said.

The Phoenix Festival recently reached their target of £1,000 through online fundraising platform Crowdfunder.

Organisers were originally worried that they would not reach their targer in time. They had only two weeks to raise £1,000 or all the money already raised through the site would go back to those who donated it.

Now this amount, generously donated by members of the public and fans of the festival, can go towards making the event this year a smash hit.