A CHARITY in Okehampton that helps both the elderly and the young in the town is marking its 110th year in 2015. The Charities of Holditch and Others was originally set up in 1905 to support the people of Okehampton.

Chairman Peter Green said: ‘The charity is relatively small in comparison to other local grant giving groups but its focus is tighter too. The Charities of Holditch and Others was set up to support “poor persons who are residents of Okehampton”. This was done in three main ways supplying items such as food, clothes, boots and medicine to individuals in need.

‘It supported apprentices under the age of 24 with the costs of undertaking a training and finally by supporting groups who in turn supported the poor of Okehampton.’

The charity’s main focus is still to support the residents of Okehampton and the trustees agreed to do so by awarding an annual grant to any Okehampton resident who is in receipt of both state pension and pension credit, supporting apprentices under the age of 24 who live in Okehampton and supporting any voluntary organisation which provides support to either elderly residents or apprentices of the town.

Mr Green said: ‘If you are an elderly person living in Okehampton or an apprentice please get in touch with the charity clerk Karen Percival on 01837 55179 or by email [email protected] to see if you are eligible for a grant this autumn. If you currently volunteer or know of a local group which supports the elderly or apprentices that could do with a little financial support please again get in touch with the us as we are always looking for new or existing groups to support in Okehampton.’

In the past ten years the charity has distributed grants in excess of £30,000 to individuals and groups. Some of the groups who have been supported are Okehampton Post 16 Centre, Citizens’ Advice Bureau, Age Concern, Tor Support Services, North Dartmoor Search and Rescue, OCRA, Okement Rivers Improvement Group, Okehampton and District Community Transport, the Ockment Centre and Work Club, Puzzle Tree and Community Links SW.