THE Gooch Trust has pledged more than £90,000 in grants in one year to local charities and community groups in Ilminster.

Some of those who have benefitted from the grants include Ilminster Football Club, Ilminster Entertainment Society, Ile Youth Centre, Neroche Primary School, Horseshoes and Handprints and Sweet Surprise.

Heather Virgin, chairman of the trust, said: “We are delighted to receive such great feedback from many of the causes that we have supported over the last year.

“Our largest contribution to date has gone to Ilminster Football Club to help them achieve their dream of building a new headquarters and we are so excited to see The Gooch Pavilion finally become a reality.

“We are also so proud to be able to support other Ilminster based community groups who do such fabulous work.

“Our Christmas gift this year went to Sweet Surprise based in the middle of Ilminster who do incredible work for all of the community but especially for those with learning difficulties.”

The Trust, set up in 1998 by local business man Archie Gooch, was primarily established to help preserve and maintain the fabric of St Mary’s Parish Church.

Other successful projects supported by The Gooch Trust over the last 12 months include the creation of a huge piece of artwork in the hall at Neroche Primary School.

The trust’s most recent meeting took place in December where grants were agreed to assist StreetSpace Ilminster in the funding of a youth worker to work with the young people of Ilminster.

A grant also went to Ilminster Literary Festival to support them in the hiring of venues for their Literary Festival in June and also to the Parish Hall to fund a new boiler and some additional repair work.

The next trust meeting will be held in March when the trustees be deciding on more grants to be distributed.

For more information, visit www.goochtrust.co.uk