GRANTS totalling more than £26,000 have been awarded to voluntary groups and charities to help them take care of the East Wight landscape and its buildings.
Down to the Coast, a partnership scheme concerned with the conservation and celebration of the East Wight, has awarded cash of up to £5,000 to seven Island groups as part of its new East Wight Landscape Grants programme.
In the Sandown Bay area, £5,000 was awarded to the Friends of Brading Roman Villa, to improve its visitor centre, Ventnor Exchange, to create an arts management apprenticeship, and The Common Space, to create the Willow Walk, a new wildlife footpath between Browns Golf Course and the Sandown Levels.
The Wight Nature Fund received £2,600 towards improving access to its popular hide at Alverstone Mead — one of the best places on the Island to view red squirrels — while Gift to Nature was handed £1,800 to help improve the condition of chalk grassland at Nansen Hill, Upper Bonchurch.
Wave Project IW, which offers opportunities for vulnerable children and young people across the Island, was awarded £1,750 to enable ten of its volunteers to gain lifeguard accreditation with the Royal Life Saving Society.
The volunteer-led Ryde Historic Society received £5,000 towards the refurbishment of its home, the Grade II-listed Royal Victoria Arcade, in Union Street, for use as a display area.
Former Ryde mayor, Brian Harris, of Ryde Heritage Society, was delighted with the grant.
He said: “This was a huge amount for a small group like ours. The grant will cover the cost of installing lighting, power and fireproofing the rest of the arcade basement and enable us to open up four display areas for public use.”