THREE projects in South Somerset have been given a total of £35,000.

The Community Grants were awarded at a South Somerset District Council (SSDC) Area North Committee to South Petherton Arts, South Petherton Bowls Club and Kirkham Street Field Community Trust.

At the meeting held on Wednesday, March 24, three Community Grants were all unanimously approved by members of the committee.

South Petherton Arts were awarded £9,992 towards the cost of replacing the roof on the St David Hall.

The hall is used for a variety of activities including drama, mime, ballet, dance, music, singing, playwriting, literature and visual arts, sculpting and painting, film nights, acoustic jam sessions, quiz nights, summer and half term schools and weekly coffee mornings.

South Petherton Bowls Club were given £12,500 towards the purchase of accessible toilets, a clubhouse extension and storage facilities.

The associated building works will involve demolishing the existing toilet block and replacing it with a modern, accessible and eco-friendly extension. And £12,500 was given to Kirkham Street Field Community Trust to help with the purchase of the Kirkham Street playing field in Somerton.

Once the field is declared redundant from its current use as a school playing field, and established as a community park, the Community Trust will be able to purchase the land. Their aim is to preserve the green space offering many benefits, including its environmental benefits, and boosting the community’s mental health and wellbeing by offering a space for residents to enjoy leisure and recreational activities.

The trust has already secured £25,000 from the town council, and is predicting it can raise a further £55,000 from promised donations (plus £10,000 in gift aid) on top of £30,000 already raised.

However, the trust unsuccessfully bid for £65,000 from the county council’s climate change emergency community fund – leaving them still way short of the sum needed to buy the first third of the field.

Councillor Dean Ruddle (whose Wessex ward includes Somerton) said: “It’s the only green space actually left in that part of the town – everything else has been built on.

“Yes, we have a recreation ground, but it’s way on the other side of the town, so this does make sense. I think it’s a great project, and I think we should show support to try and aid them to get it over the line.”

Through the Community Grant schemes, applicants are able to access funding of between £101 and £12,500.