TWO West Somerset groups are celebrating after landing more than £12,500 in grant funding between them.

Members of St Michael's First School's Parents' Teachers' Association (PTA) and the combined force of the Somerset County Scout Sailing Team and the 1st Watchet Sea Scout Group were each awarded more than £6,000.

They were among only a handful of community ventures across the country which beat off fierce competition to win funding from the NatWest CommunityForce scheme.

Grants were awarded based on the number of votes each project received via the NatWest CommunityForce website.

And while the average number of votes for schemes came in around the 200 to 300 mark, both St Michael's and the sea scouts polled well over 600 votes each.

Tracey Sweetland, chairman of St Michael's PTA, said news of the grant was "fantastic" and would be put towards plans to replace the rusting, leaking and close-to-collapsing small school pool.

The PTA wants to build a bigger pool in a more permanent outbuilding for everyone in the community to use.

But having originally set their sights on a £20,000 fundraising campaign, the group is now going for a £70,000 pot.

Mrs Sweetland said: "We've got some big ideas and have applied for grants totalling £90,000, although I've heard this week we've been turned down for two of them.

"If we don't get the money we want, we'll get what we can and do whatever we're able to do with it."

With the NatWest grant, the PTA has already raised £11,500 towards its total and has a number of other fundraising ideas in the pipeline.

This includes the forthcoming Christmas extravaganza event next Thursday, December 8, from 6pm to 8pm.

The school has also been given a limited edition Olympic bear from Exmoor Teddy Bears who will be off on his travels, collecting autographs from famous people along the way, before being auctioned with his autograph book in aid of the appeal.

"He's already been rally driving and is planning to go to Aintree, Twickenham and all sorts of football matches," Mrs Sweetland said.

In Watchet, the 1st Watchet Sea Scouts' assistant group leader Simon Bale, said it was telling two large grants had gone to West Somerset-based projects.

"We had three times the amount of support for our bids than most other places, which just shows what the community spirit is like in West Somerset.

"This money will be spent in Watchet for the good of the whole Somerset community, but we've still got a lot of fundraising to do," Mr Bale said.

The scouts operate the Somerset County Scout training centre and deliver Royal Yacht Association courses to scouts from around Somerset and further afield in dinghy sailing and other water activities.

Half of the funding will enable the group to complete new changing facilities, with the remainder being towards replacement safety equipment, including buoyancy aids, lifejackets and an additional safety boat.

So far this year, more than 500 youngsters from around the county have used the centre.

"We're overjoyed to receive this money as it will enable us to finish the changing facilities before the spring," Mr Bale said.

The only other schemes to receive NatWest grants in the locality were Cotford St Luke Primary School and it's Fledglings PTA and representatives from Milverton's Victoria Rooms.

The PTA will use its funding to develop an outside stage area and outside classroom for forest school activities.

In Milverton, the money will be use to improve the outdated lighting in the main hall, making it more welcoming and more energy efficient.

Photo: Steve Guscott