COMMUNITY groups from Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge have benefitted from more than £12,000 worth of grant funding.

Burnham and Highbridge Town Councillors awarded nine different applications with £12,170 in their meeting last week.

The groups are now set to benefit from the support.

Citizen's Advice Sedgemoor were given the go ahead to receive £2,700 for the cost of supplying its services in both the Burnham and Highbridge area.

Burnham Area Youth Centre, who recently held a photographic memorabilia exhibition where past members were able to view past photographs and press reports, were given £2,500.

Burnham-on-Sea Events was awarded £2,520 for their series of events held throughout the year, and Burnham-on-Sea Food and Drink Festival gained £1,800.

The Town Council heard from the organisers of the event, Bev and Sarah Milner Simonds, plus supporters Alex Turco, Neil Brewer and Juliette Franese.

Mendip Community Transport received £1000 and the Burnham and District in Bloom committee were awarded £750.

Both the Vale of Avalon Vintage Vehicle Road Run and the brand new Sea Dogs Festival gained £400 each and Highbridge Town Twinning Association were given £100.

Mike Lang, chairman of Burnham Area Youth Centre, said: "We are delighted to receive funding towards refurbishment of our upper roof, which will see us totally weatherproof for many years to come.

"The BAY centre operates as a community building and provides shelter to a wide variety of interest groups."

The group recently celebrated their 50th 50th birthday AGM.

Mike added: "I would like to thank the other members of the committee - Julia Elswood, Jim Frape, Jan Bonus, Jo Jefferies, Colin Rufus, John Colquhoun, Alan Gibbs and Dennis Davey for their solid and dependable support over the previous twelve months.

"Of course, we also need to thank the various club members and volunteers, for without them the BAY centre could not exist"

Bev Milner Simonds, organiser of Burnham-on-Sea Food and Drink Festival, said: "It is great to have our local town council's backing for the food and drink festival.

"The festival is held in the heart of the town centre, twice a year, bringing locals and visitors from a wide area into the town.

"The funding will be used to support our bursary scheme for new traders and the new youth market in October 2016."

The Sea Dogs Festival was launched this year, with a gathering of pooches and their owners on Burnham beach on the last day of the season.

Sea Dogs Festival organiser, Sarah Milner Simonds, said: "It is great to have the backing of the Town Council for this first Sea Dogs Festival event.

"We got positive feedback form owners, Sedgemoor and local businesses.

"We will use this information to evaluate the event and look at improvements if it returns next year."