The Bath Half Marathon Fund has awarded grants to nine local charities and community groups, helping more residents based in Bath and North East Somerset to play, stay fit and improve their health.

Each year, donations from runners entering the Bath Half Marathon are channelled through Quartet Community Foundation into sports, exercise and play projects organised by community groups within Bath and North East Somerset. The aim of the grant programme is to improve physical health and wellbeing close to people’s homes, reaching out especially to isolated and rural communities. In July, the grants panel awarded £14,620 in total to nine charitable groups, including SWALLOW, Mentoring Plus and the Wansdyke Play Association.

Over the last thirteen years, the Bath Half Marathon Fund has distributed a total of £178,000 in grants to 161 local community projects.

Since setting up the Fund through Quartet Community Foundation, the Bath Half Marathon Fund has grown an endowment fund to provide a permanent source of future funding for local community groups.

Race organisers, Andrew and Mel Taylor from Running High Events, said: “We started the fund in 2003, to support local charitable groups which are too small to benefit through our official race charity scheme, or through our volunteering programme. Quartet Community Foundation puts us directly in touch with these groups, where relatively small grants can make a big difference. We’re grateful for runners’ generous donations to support this work with smaller local community groups.”

Claire Wynne Hughes, Philanthropy Executive at Quartet Community Foundation, said: “Every year we’re bowled over by the dedication and creativity shown by local groups and organisations working to benefit their community. Accessibility is key – the projects we support find ways to bring people, old and young, into sporting and play activities, especially those living in isolated or rural areas.”

One of the projects given the green light this month is run by SWALLOW, a group based in Midsomer Norton, which supports local people with learning difficulties. They were awarded a small grant to host the ‘Swim for SWALLOW’ event, a fun-packed community event to bring local service users and their families and friends together, and to raise funds to continue their vital work.