An Island group will be better equipped to help curious IW people reach for the stars, thanks to a major grant from WightAID. Vectis Astronomical Society is committed to studying the stars to a wider audience, and already entertains visitors at its observatory and undertakes outreach visits to schools, clubs, interested groups and local events.

The £3,172 grant will be used to buy a specialist Altair Hypacam 26M camera, complete with filters and filter wheels, allowing the society to capture high-resolution images of celestial objects invisible to the human eye.

The society’s grant was one of nine, totalling £7,242 awarded by WightAID during its July and September grant rounds. Long-time supporter, Christopher Scott, and representatives of accountants Bright Brown, presented the cheque at a recent ceremony.

The next largest grant was £589 to Corf Scout Camp, at Porchfield, to purchase climbing and abseiling equipment to young people up to the age of 25.

Seven further grants, of amounts of £500 or less, were also granted. St Saviour’s Catholic Primary School, in Totland, will install a den-building area. A spokesman said: “They will build castles, planes and boats in the area and go on adventures around the world.” Ventnor School of Mosaics will install mosaics onto the paddling pool wall on Ventnor sea-front. Dementia Carers Friendship Group, in Totland, will purchase games and materials to accommodate the changing needs of people with dementia and their carers. Oakfield Youth Football Club will put the money towards a new playing kit for their U-14s team. The Bay CE School will purchase outdoor tables and wobble chairs specifically for its SEND students at their secondary site. Ventnor Carnival used the grant for the free Carnival Community and Heritage Day, in August, at the Park & Putting Green. Medina College will be developing their orchard to offer fruit and vegetable hampers, and simple home-cooked food that students will prepare.

WightAID founder, Geoff Underwood, said: “The breadth of organisations that have been helped in the last two grant rounds is incredible… from dementia groups to schools and youth clubs, WightAID is continuing to make a big difference.”