A Cirencester-based charity has been awarded almost £10,000 by the Big Lottery Fund.

The Churn project, who help support vulnerable people in Cirencester and nearby villages were awarded the money to support its ageing well programme, and its ageing well volunteering scheme.

More than 400 volunteers already give their time to the charity and the funding will enable the project to take its volunteer support to a new level by helping fund the posts of volunteer coordinator and older people’s services manager.

Churn Project’s chief executive, Fran Embleton-Smith, said: “This is really fantastic news for the team here who work with our wonderful volunteers on a daily basis to change the lives of so many people in our community.

"We couldn’t achieve all we do without our volunteers’ help and I know that they, too, benefit enormously from their volunteering.

"It’s a win, win situation in so many ways.”

The Churn Project hosted a volunteers ‘thank you’ evening in The Waterloo, Cirencester, in December where team members were joined by about 60 regular volunteers.