TWO Stratton community groups have been given emergency funding to help them keep the lights on and continue supporting people during the lockdown.

The parish council approved grants for Stratton Juniors Football Club and the Swindon Scrapstore in recognition of the good work both are doing for the area.

Juniors FC chairman Magnus Painter has been cooking up 85 meals twice a week for a team of coaches and volunteers to deliver to elderly and vulnerable people around the parish and beyond.

While carrying this extra work out, the club still faces hefty bills to cover maintenance costs while its usual matches have been cancelled.

Stratton St Margaret Parish Council let Mr Painter use the kitchens at Parkwood Leisure Centre as a base for the food delivery scheme and has now given the club an extra £2,000.

Mr Painter said: "The reason behind this is request is that, as a club, we are looking to assist and provide financial assistance to all our members and cover pitch fees.

"We pay £4,000 a season so this £2,000 would make football as cheap as possiblefor the players if and when we get back to playing it - maybe in the same season.

"We don't want to exclude people or make parents feel like the have to make choices in whether they can afford to play football."

Councillors praised the club's charitable efforts and voted unanimously to give it the grant.

Coun Teresa Page said: "It's a good thing to do this because it does not seem right to me that a child who cannot afford to play football should be ostracised. Plus, it's a great club."

Coun Tim Page said: "This is an opportunity for the council to show its appreciation to SJFC for the sterling work they have been doing for the vulnerable in the parish, it's a way of paying them back.

Mr Painter gratefully accepted the extra funding: "Thank you, this will make a big difference and the parish council has been very supportive."

Plus, Swindon Scrapstore received £800 from the parish council after another unanimous show of support from councillors.

The charity runs Scrappers Gym and manages a variety of other projects whichre-sell and reuse everything from office supplies to tablets and mobile phones, arts and crafts,household goods, toys and clothes.

It aims to help the environment and the community.

Coun Barrie Jenkins said:"Their usual £20,000 a month is not coming in and they are running on reserves. They help us with the computers in the library and other support so we should support them."

Councillors discussed the grants in a full council meeting held on a Zoom video call.