MORE than 300 children enjoyed free summer activities thanks to a grant from Bovey Tracey Town Council.

The award of £940 was made to the Better Places Community Interest Company and was the first of its kind from the authority.

The cash, coming from council tax payers in Bovey Tracey and Heathfield, was used to arrange four events, including raft building at Parke.

Another day at Heathfield was devoted to nature discovery with the Devon Wildlife Trust and on each occasion the children all received free packed lunches.

‘It went exceptionally well,’ said Cllr Lisa Robillard-Webb, a freelance community worker with Better Places whose role is to boost community cohesion by providing support for families.

Having addressed a meeting of the Full Council on Monday September 15, she added: ‘I don’t think we could have squeezed another person through the door and we had repeat families, some with four children under four years old, who kept coming because they loved it so much.

‘It was lovely to see the parents chatting, and the grandparents, it was hugely successful and we’ve shown there’s a need.

‘The town council grant paid for four events, in totality, and we catered for 328 children and their families, so we’re very grateful and hoping that this will become part of the Town Council’s integration and connection with the families in the future.’

Mayor Cllr Sheila Brooke said: ‘We’ve seen what an impact Better Places has had on people in the last two or three years and wanted to support them.

‘The pleasure it gives families is amazing and to me it goes really well with our social supermarket and other services we have in the community.

‘We didn’t even know some of these people even existed a few years ago but Covid really exposed a lot of food poverty so awarding a grant of just £940 is a really good use of tax payers’ money.

‘And all this has sprung from the little help hub we established after the pandemic so long may it last, but without Lisa’s energy it simply wouldn’t happen.’