Ottery Town Council has awarded three grants worth nearly £5,000 to local organisations.

The recipients are Able2Achieve (The Silver Otter Cafe), Friends of Ottery Library and Ottery St Mary AFC.

Each of them presented their key projects, focusing on community benefit and development.

The decision comes after council deliberations on monthly grant requests, made up from various community groups and initiatives.

One of the biggest beneficiaries is Able2Achieve, awarded £2,278.

The group supports individuals with learning difficulties and actively encourages independence.

The awarded funds will go towards purchasing two laptops for hygiene courses and staff training for national qualifications.

The laptops will also help them with CV creation and online job searches.

Enterprise Coordinator Helen Holmes said: "These laptops will help our learners in so many ways.

"They will be able to take the nationally recognised qualifications on the laptop, then be able to update their CVs, research jobs and apply for them online."

Sidmouth Herald: Three of the learners from Able2Achieve who will benefit from the laptop and the food hygiene

She further emphasised the significance of financial aid for course payments, stating without it, 'our learners would not be able to do them'.

A £200 grant was awarded to Friends of Ottery Library.

The funds will help promote the library and its services through the production of pull-up banners and leaflets for local outreach events such as Ottery Food and Families Festival and the Classic Car Show.

Ottery St Mary AFC was another recipient, bagging a grant of £2,000.

Ottery St Mary AFC, an FA Charter Standard Club with 100 registered players, focuses on nurturing young talents and fostering inclusivity with its disability-friendly initiative, Comets.

The grant will be used to refurbish its kitchen providing better facilities for club members and visitors, with an eye on increasing venue hire and event income.