VOLUNTARY and charitable groups which cover the Bolton area are invited to apply for grants from the Community Trust For Greater Manchester. The Trust, which supports groups in all the 10 boroughs of the county, seeks to help charitable work which will benefit the local community and help to create a better, happier and fairer society to live and work in. Groups do not have to be registered charities to apply. Priority will be given to new and small voluntary organisations who do not have ready access to other sources of funding. The grants are not likely to be very large.

This year's handouts to charities throughout Greater Manchester are made possible by the individual donations made by employees of companies through the Payroll Giving Scheme, and companies who wish to support their local communities at grass roots level, through the Trust.

"Many companies and individuals find this the best way to support many areas of their local community, instead of just one, knowing and seeing that their donations will benefit the local people in need, directly through the Trust's local independent distribution panels," a spokesman explained.

"By donating to the Community Trust, the donor no longer has to worry about making the right selection or saying 'no' to numerous requests. They can sincerely say that they support their whole community through the Trust, which administers their donations on their behalf."

Any organisation requiring further information on how to support their local community should contact the Trust on: 0161 839 4947. Organisations requiring an application form need to forward a stamped addressed envelope to: The Community Trust for Greater Manchester, PO Box 63, 1st Floor, Beswick House, Beswick Row, MANCHESTER M4 4JY.

The closing date for completed applications is January 18, 1999.

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