DEVIZES-based Wiltshire and Swindon Community Foundation has been nominated for a major national prize at the Charity Awards 2004, in London on June 17.

The charity, which works to channel pledges of funding from major companies throughout the county into small local good causes, has been particularly recognised for its Progress Fund, which aims to support people who are disadvantaged in the labour market and help them take their first steps towards employment.

If it wins in this category, the charity will then be in the running to pick up the overall award for excellence in charity management a prestigious award given to the best of the category winners, won last year by the Leonard Cheshire Foundation.

The Charity Awards 2004 is organised by Charity Finance magazine, and the panel of judges includes Sir Nicholas Young, chief executive of the Red Cross, Ian Allsop, editor of Charity Finance, and Judith Hill, head of community and charity at law firm Farrer and Co.

Wiltshire and Swindon Community Foundation, with headquarters in New Park Street, supported 193 projects in the county last year, giving a total of £511,000 to help make a difference to the lives of disadvantaged people.