A TOWN council has handed out more than £65,000 to local organisations in major grants agreements.

Lyme Regis Town Council has written cheques for The Hub, Lyme Regis Fossil Festival and Lyme Regis Gig Club - for a combined total of £65,700. In February, the town council committed to £365,700 of funding over the next four years to seven local organisations.

Lyme Regis Fossil Festival was awarded £5,000 for each of the four years to promote and facilitate the annual event.

Mayor of Lyme Regis Cllr Owen Lovell, said: “The fossil festival is now one of Lyme’s long-established events, which has proved to be a huge success.

"The town council is pleased to ensure it continues for the next few years.”

The Hub was awarded £10,000 for each of the four years to help with the core running of the youth facility in Church Street.

Cllr Lovell added: “The town council is pleased that the long-standing tradition of a facility for the youth in the town will go forward for the next few years.”

Cliff Allen, chairman of Lyme Regis Development Trust, signed agreements for the Hub and Lyme Regis Fossil Festival, joined by the trust’s chief executive officer, Peter Jeffs.

Mr Jeffs said: “We are delighted that the town council has agreed to support the Fossil Festival and the Hub with both their grants, and their partnership.

“This makes a vital difference to the future of these activities which we believe benefit the whole town, and which we hope to develop still further.”

Lyme Regis Gig Club received £5,700 to purchase a new fibreglass gig and a set of oars. Cllr Lovell presented a cheque to the club chairman, Marcus Dixon.

Cllr Lovell said: “The gig club is probably the biggest success in the town in recent years and the town council has been very pleased to support them from the off.

“It’s with great pleasure we see them move forward constructively and positively, encouraging people of all ages to get into a gig.”

Mr Dixon said the new gig, named Prospero after the sorcerer in The Tempest, would be delivered on August 20, ahead of the official launch on August 28.

Mr Dixon said: “The gig club has grown enormously, and the support from the town council has been important to enable us to develop the club.

“This is a big step forward to get a new fibreglass gig.”

Further agreements will be signed for Lyme Arts Community Trust, which runs the Marine Theatre, LymeForward, Lyme Regis Football Club and B Sharp.