BLAENAVON Leisure and Sports Trust (Blast) is inviting applications for grants after the group was awarded charitable status.

Groups and individuals can apply for a share of the £30,000 raised by the group, which was set up in an attempt to save the town’s leisure facilities from demolition in 2007.

Following the failure of that campaign, Blast continued to raise funds with the aim of using the money to promote leisure and recreation activities.

Blast chairman John Beavan said: “After we lost the pool and leisure centre we held a public meeting to ask local residents what they wanted to be done with the £20,000 we had raised at that time. “A unanimous show of hands demonstrated that the people wanted the money to be redistributed via grants.”

After a drawn-out process to apply for charitable status, the trust has finally been recognised and is ready to ma awards to applicants of up to a maximum of £500.

The first grants will be announced in the autumn, with a maximum of £3,000 awarded quarterly.

The eligibility rules state that applicants should be resident in north Torfaen, sports or leisure groups applying should have a qualified instructor and/or affiliated governing body and individuals must be involved in activities at an amateur level.

Funding will be given towards the costs of equipment, clothing, travelling expenses and accommodation.

Mr Beavan said the fund’s current total was reached through the hard work of volunteers running the charity shop in Broad Street, which sells donated bric-a-brac, jewellery, clothes and books.

He added: “People might wonder why we are not giving out all the money in one go.

The reason is that we want to sustain the charity and make the legacy of our lost leisure facilities give ongoing support for sports and leisure activities in communities across north Torfaen.”

For any queries about completing the application form, please contact John Beavan on 01495 792140, or e-mail Blastgroup@hotmail.com