GOOD causes are being invited to apply for a slice of funds raised by the Dorchester Marathon.

The Casterbridge Rotary Club of Dorchester has announced that applications for this year's grants, totalling £9,000, are now being welcomed.

The club’s president, Gina Hofmann-Juviler, said: “The very successful 2018 Dorchester Marathon left us with a profit of £9,000, which we can now pass back into the community. The maxim of Rotary is ‘Service Above Self’ and so not only did we serve the town with the highly successful second Dorchester Marathon, which was so enjoyed back at the end of May, but now we can assist other organisations serve their communities by giving away the money the Marathon raised.”

The small grant committee chairman, Tim Stiles, added: “Last year’s 24 successful applicants received over £7,000 in grants of up to £500 each. Heaters for a cricket club, a book of poems printed and sold to raise money for a mental health charity, several playgroups able to purchase new equipment, compost bins, dance videos – the list went on and on. All local charities serving in and around the town benefitting from a great weekend on the Dorchester Showground back in May.

“We want to hear from any charity, group or organisation in and around the town. The rules are simple and all set out in our website, just go to www.casterbridgerotary.org.uk and read down the home page.”

Casterbridge Rotary Club raised more than £1,300 with their Santa’s Sleigh in South Street in the run up to Christmas and a further £550 to be split with the Scouts packing shoppers’ bags in Waitrose on the Saturday before the holiday.

Allan Cooper, who organised the collection, said: “The weather left a lot to be desired in the week before Christmas. There were some very wet Rotarians and some soggy shoppers, but Dorchester townsfolk are a generous bunch and over £1,000, much of which was collected on the pouring rain, will be going to the Somerset and Dorset Air Ambulance as a result.”

The Dorchester Marathon has been organised by White Star Running, in partnership with Rotary, for the past two years. That partnership has come to an end, but the event will return as a half marathon distance on May 19. It is being organised by Just Racing UK, the team behind Ironman Weymouth.

For more about Casterbridge Rotary Club and its activities contact Tim Stiles on 07939 630212