GRANTS PROGRAMME: Awards For All Wales Grant to Cylch Meithrin ABC, as told by Tredegar Town Council and Cylch Meithrin ABC: Cylch Meithrin ABC in Tredegar have received a grant of £4,963 for new equipment, storage units, and towards staff members' wages from the Lottery funded grants programme, Awards For All Wales.

Cylch Meithrin ABC is a Welsh playgroup based at Stocktonville Hall in Tredegar, and holds morning sessions, 9.30am-12.30pm, Monday-Friday, for children between the ages of two and four years old.

It is self-funded through fees, grants and fundraising activities, with all the money going back into the Meithrin for equipment and overheads.

The Meithrin is CSSIW registered and has recently received 100 percent Quality Assurance Mark from Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council and the Cwlch Da Iawn - Quality Welsh Assurance Mark.

There are also free places available to those children between the ages of two and three years living in the Deighton Flying Start catchment area, and as the Meithrin is also as Education Provider status for any child aged three years.

For more details please contact the Meithrin leader, Yvonne Summers, on 07504 311316.

This money enables the Meithrin to increase the number of child places it has available for children between the ages of two and four to 24; the start of a new lunch club for those going to school placements after our sessions, and we are hoping to start some afternoon sessions.

All this with the new equipment will greatly boost facilities available to local children of pre-school age.

Annette Jones, treasurer, who made the grant application to Awards For All Wales, said: "This money is going to make a real difference to our Meithrin and the community. I could not believe how easy and fast the grant application process was. I would definitely recommend the Awards For All Wales grants programme."

For further information on Awards For All Wales, or to obtain an application pack, please call 01686 611740, or visit the website at www.awardsforall.org.uk TREDEGAR Town Council celebrations: Songs Of Praise open air service around the town clock, Sunday, June 22, 2.30pm.

150 years: June 21 1858-2008. First rehearsal Wednesday, February 27 at Harcourt Terrace Methodist Church, 7pm. All welcome.

For more information call Anita Lathan, on 01495 723530.

Question Time at Siloh United Church, Thursday, February 21, at 7pm. Chairman Reverend Ray Harris, panel members are Reverend Mike Shephard, funeral director, Paul Smith, town mayor Malcolm Cross and Father John Davies, St George.

Questions in writing to be submitted before start to Aileen Ingles, or Anita Lathan. All welcome.