Five hard working community organisations in Wiltshire, including three in Swindon, have received early cash Christmas presents from the Evening Advertiser's parent company.

The Gannett Foundation Fund traditionally supports projects which take a creative approach to fundamental issues such as education, neighbourhood improvements, environmental conservation and solving problems in the community.

This year priority was given to groups helping the homeless, youth organisations, after school activities and community safety initiatives.

As a result Pathfinders Swindon is getting £2,500, Swindon's Wiltshire House hostel £2,500, Swindon Pegasus Brass Band £1,000, the Wessex Multiple Sclerosis Therapy £2,880 and Action on Homelessness (West Wilts) £1,298.

Brass for the brass band

The £1,000 Gannett grant to the well known Swindon Pegasus Brass Band will help the band celebrate its 90th anniversary next year by paying for new instruments for its youth sections.

Musical Director John Winterflood said the band's youth education programme involved training approximately 100 young people on brass and percussion instruments.

He said: "There are three youth bands involving young people from the age of five to 18, and more than 100 instruments are loaned free of charge to ensure that everyone can join in.

"The band also works with children from two Swindon special needs schools."

Mr Winterflood said the band now needed funding to buy some of the more expensive instruments such as tubas and euphoniums.

"Next year is our 90th anniversary, and as part of the celebrations a comprehensive expansion of the youth bands is being planned which will also include open days to encourage more young people to join in."

Swindon Pegasus Brass is a championship section brass band that performs within the local community for charities and at civic events.

"The young people involved are able to build musical and team skills as well as social skills and self esteem," said Mr Winterflood.

"The youth bands perform before the public giving cultural enrichment to the youngsters and the community at large.

"We aim to loan instruments free of charge so that all young people have an opportunity to play a musical instrument and play in a band."

He said many of the youngsters will progress onto other community bands in the Swindon area adding to the long term cultural enrichment of the community.