COMMUNITY groups in Newton Abbot have been given a financial shot in the arm worth more than £16,000 by the town council.

Grant applications and requests for financial support ranging from £1,000 to £5,500 were considered by councillors.

The smallest bid came from Newton Abbot Community Shed whose members need air-cleaning equipment to reduce harmful sawdust from their workshop.

Wellbeing in Action applied for £4,600 to help launch a Women and Girls’ Health Club at its Good Karma Store in Queen Street while Newton Abbot Community Transport requested £5,000 to help maintain services such as Ring and Ride.

Teignbridge Citizens Advice asked for £5,500 as demand for its services is at an all-time high.

Lindie Whitfield, Chief Officer at Wellbeing in Action, told members her charity had been forced to relocate after its base had been demolished.

It is now establishing new premises in redundant shops.

Ms Whitfield told the meeting her group had been largely self-financing and said: ‘It’s rare for us to go for grants.’

Mike Hocking, chairman of Newton Abbot Community Transport Association, described ‘a difficult few years’ but in the past year, it provided transport for more than 10,000 elderly, vulnerable or isolated people.

He added the charity now operates three rural bus services that commercial operators backed away from.

‘Without us many people would be trapped in their homes,’ he said.

Chairman of Newton Abbot Community Shed, Peter Stevens, said his charity was ‘keen to establish ourselves as self-sufficient for core costs’.

Since opening in 2023, it is now a Charitable Incorporated Organisation with full-time occupancy of a workshop at Newton Abbot Library where more than 50 members meet.

The committee voted in favour of awarding all four bids worth a total of £16,100.

Chairman Cllr Louise Cooke said: ‘Our community is blessed to have these wonderful, selfless groups looking after its interests.

‘We are acutely aware it is public money we are offering but believe most people would approve of its use in this way.’