BRIDGWATER-BASED charity Ups and Downs South-West has been awarded a £3,000 grant to help run its services after the group received massive community support in a recent funding scheme.

The Lloyds Bank community fund has allocated the top prize cash boost to the organisation after local people had their say and voted on who they wanted the money to go to.

On hearing the news Wendy O’Carroll, chief executive of the charity, told the Mercury: “I am very pleased that we have come first in the votes. Our lottery funding is coming to an end and we are now reaching the point where we have to be self-supporting.”

The group says it will use the fresh funding to grow their home, business and family support to help parents who have children with Downs Syndrome.

Wendy said: “We think that if everyone around the child is supported then the child is best supported and then able to go on to achieve to their full potential.

“We do like to make sure that our children have an interesting life.

Ups and Downs South-West helps more than 500 families and seeks to support children and young people with Down Syndrome to help them reach their full potential both educationally and socially.

Elsewhere in the area three more Bridgwater community groups are feeling the benefit of a grant from the fund.

Somerset Emergency Volunteers, a group that helps communities who have been affected by an emergency to recover by providing support, was awarded with £2,000.

Bibic and the Rosie Crane Trust also received £1,000 and £500 respectively from the fund.