BUDDING actors in Trowbridge have been given a boost after Town Hall Arts was awarded a grant of £4,421 to make improvements to facilities.

The charity was one of nine to be awarded a grant by Bath's Theatre Royal from 80 that applied within a 20-mile radius of the theatre, at a ceremony held at the Ustinov Studio in Bath.

Work will now begin to install a new lighting system and dancefloor to make the space feel more like a theatre for the members who attend weekly sessions.

Director Tracy Sullivan said: “We were delighted to get the grant, especially as so many organisations applied.

“They were impressed with our application, which is part of a bigger project we’re working on. We want to be able to take our members to watch professional acting in London and at The Egg in Bath.

“We didn’t know Michael Eavis was going to be at the ceremony, so that was a really nice surprise.”

The announcement was made on Tuesday night and the money for the grants was made available by the theatre’s Creative Fund, which was established in 2015 through the activities of productions at the theatre.

Theatre Royal director Danny Moar said: “We’ve been overwhelmed once again with the interest in the Creative Fund, and thrilled that we have been able to support arts development in Bath and the surrounding area for a second year.

“We look forward to working with these successful organisations over the next twelve months as they continue to enhance provision for the Arts across the amateur, professional and community spectrum.”

Aspiring thespians in the area aged between 10 and 16 can join in by turning up at to weekly Monday evening sessions, which run between 6.30pm and 8pm at the Town Hall.