The Melksham Area Board handed out more than £24,000 in 17 community grants at its meeting last week.

The board approved all but one of the funding requests it heard, which included £5,000 for a new minibus for the 1st Bowerhill Scouts, £2,000 to refurbish the disabled toilet at Semington Village Hall, £500 for the Melksham Food Bank, and £500 for a community apple press.

A request for £500 for a new laptop by the Broughton Gifford Village Magazine was rejected, after the group had previously turned down the offer of a reconditioned Wiltshire Council laptop.