YOUTH in Okehampton was recently given a cash boost as Okehampton Town Council awarded grants totalling £1,700 to projects involving the young of the town. Okehampton Youth Club, the First Okehampton Scout Group, West Devon Junior Life Skills and the Okehampton Battle of the Bands competition which encourages entries from young musicians, were all awarded financial assistance by the council. The latest set of grant applications were discussed at the policy and resources committee meeting last week. Okehampton Youth Club was awarded £500 to purchase new arts equipment, including new easels, paints and drying racks for paintings. First Okehampton Scouts were also awarded £500, to embark on phase two of their project to create a new purpose-built modern scout hut. With phase one, the exterior work, now completed, the group is looking for funding to install fixtures and fittings. The Okehampton Battle of the Bands competition ? due to be held this July and August ? was also awarded a grant towards staging the event. Cllr David Weekes said the inaugural event last year had been very popular. ?On the final night last year, they had to turn away around 200 people because they had a limited capacity in the Charter Hall,? he said. Cllr Christine Marsh, agreed: ?Last year was very successful. They are hoping to make it an annual event and it is something that is helping to bring trade into the town.? This year?s event has been expanded and following heats in the Charter Hall, the grand final is to be held in Simmons Park on August 13. Organisers estimate this year?s event will cost around £8,000 to stage and have applied to a number of grant-making bodies for help. Councillors voted to award the Battle of the Bands organising committee £500. The annual West Devon Junior Life Skills which is held at Okehampton Army Training Camp and attended by more than 600 primary school children from 29 schools from across the borough was also supported by the council. Mayor of Okehampton Cllr Tony Leech said he had attended the event for the first time last year and believed it needed to be supported. ?I was really impressed at how well they made the children aware of all these issues,? the mayor said. Cllr Leech expressed concern about the increased charges the organisers faced to hold the event at Okehampton, following changes in the army camp?s operating arrangements. Chair of the committee, Cllr Charles Letchford?s, proposal that the council write to the camp?s administrators to ask if they would consider reducing the charges for this community event, was supported by councillors, who also resolved to give West Devon Junior Life Skills a grant of £200.
