HEALS of Malmesbury has been busy providing a packed activity programme for youngsters from challenging backgrounds, during the summer holidays.

The community group has joined forces with a number of businesses and organisations to offer a range of exciting events and trips to give children in the community who need a break, a summer to remember.

Children were able to have a go at den building at Westonbirt Arboretum, Morris dancing with Malmesbury Morris and sporting activities thanks to Malmesbury cricket and tennis clubs.

Scrap Store also organised an arts and crafts club and there were two week-long residential summer camps in Somerset.

The finale to HEALS’s summer activity programme took place at Malmesbury Abbey last week with a celebration in the Cloister Gardens.

Certificates and cards were presented to the young people who participated by Wiltshire councillor Chuck Berry in front of parents and volunteers.

Gavin Grant, chairan of HEALS, said: “As parents know, the long summer holidays are a challenging time and this is even more true for those on low income, especially those with special needs.

“Last year HEALS piloted a few local activities and took some of the young people on a week-long residential summer school.

“This year we wanted to do more, involving a larger number of local groups covering sport, nature, arts and adventure.

"Thanks to the generosity of a dozen or so localorganisations, we were able to do two or three activities every week of the summer holiday.

“Our friends at Falcon Camps made places available for double the number of local children over two weeks at their Crewkerne camp”.

The programme was funded by contributions from Malmesbury Area Board, Waitrose and the Church Pastoral Aid Society.

“We could not have done all this for our young people and local families without the help and support of a huge number of people”, said Gavin.

“I want say a huge thank to all of them, it has been a magical summer which we hope to repeat next year.”