A COMMUNITY group that has brought cinema to the masses in Malmesbury is now looking to go even further.

The Movies @ Malmesbury team are approaching their 450th screening in the past four years, selling nearly 17,000 tickets along the way.

After winning the Community Group of the Year Award at last month’s Malmesbury Civic Awards, they are looking to the future, with exciting new plans.

The team have started streaming live broadcasts from arts and sporting events around the world.

One of the co-ordinators for the team, Graham Cooke, said that it has been a challenge getting them set up.

“Live streaming of events is a very complex and difficult process,” he said.

“Tuning our satellite receiver into the hosts' and then managing the change from an in-house pre-show to the live feed has been a real challenge.

“But we have stuck with it and the numbers attending such events is steadily growing.

“Our aim is to maintain the quality and diversity of films that we show and to really develop the live screenings of theatre, opera and ballet and to introduce sport and concert screenings.

“By being able to screen a live broadcast from the National Theatre or the Royal Opera House we are able to bring the arts to a rural community such as ours without the need for people to travel far.”

Movies @ Malmesbury is run by volunteers, without whom the cinema would not have developed over the past four years, and they are always looking to bolster their team.

Further details of all events and how to volunteer can be obtained via the group’s Facebook page ‘Movies at Malmesbury’, via the Malmesbury Town Hall web site or by calling the town hall on 01666 822143.