FRIENDS of Athelstan Museum (FOAM) are celebrating after receiving a £10,000 funding boost from Hills Group.

The waste management company supported the Athelstan Museum a decade ago when it was being built in the town hall and have been praised for continuing to do so.

The donation, which was made available through the landfill communities fund (LCF), will go towards the ongoing repair and restoration of the Moravian Church on Oxford Street.

Roger Griffin, trustee and former chair of FOAM, said: “This grant from community first is wonderful news.

“It brings us closer to our total, so we are nearly there but we are still collecting. “Hills supported us 10 years ago when we first built our Athelstan Museum and we very much appreciate their continued backing.

“The grant was specifically towards the flooring as we have got to put a new floor throughout which is over 165 square metres, so this is a major item.”

Restoration work on the Moravian Church was given the green light to get underway after FOAM were granted planning permission by Wiltshire Council in June.

The restoration is expected to take about six months once contractors make final tweaks to the plans.