Usk Conservation and Environment Group's celebrating the New Year with an award of £1,000 from "It's Your Community" to assist the work the group undertakes in Usk.

"It's Your Community" is a grant-making scheme operated by the mobile phone company O2 which has so far made over 400 awards throughout the UK.

Usk Conservation and Environment Group's most recent project has been the development of the beautiful footpath and walk along the old railway line in Usk, which is still in progress. The group also works closely with other community groups and schools.

Secretary Graham Harris said: "This award is a tremendous boost as it will enable us to buy basic materials such as edging boards, tools, equipment, wood chippings, plants and seeds as well as helping to fund posters and the cost of meeting rooms."

The first meeting of the year which the Group will be hosting is on Monday, January 21 at the British Legion Club, starting at 7.30pm when a member of the Woodland Trust will talk about the Trust's work, with special reference to its recent purchase of land at Cefn Ila, Llanbadoc. All age group are welcome at the meeting.