All fingers crossed as Dingley in chance of £3,000 grant

A SPECIALIST children’s centre in Newbury could benefit from a £3,000 cash injection towards its new home – but it needs your votes.

The Dingley Family Specialist and Early Years Centre, which provides care for children aged up to five with special needs and disabilities, has been shortlisted to receive the grant in the Lloyds Bank Community Fund 2014.
If awarded, the grant would be shared among Dingley’s three centres, in Newbury, Reading and Wokingham, the former of which is currently upgrading Shaw Social Club with the hopes to be up and running there by November.
As part of the revamp, a sensory room, upgraded disabled toilet facilities, a parents room and redesigned garden space will be built.
It is temporarily using The Phoenix Resource Centre, Newtown Road, as its home after plans to build at the Mencap centre, Enborne Road, fell through last year.
It was required to leave its former premises at The Racecourse Newbury to make way for the 1,500-dwelling development.
Each year, The Lloyds Bank Community Fund gives grants to 1,400 local good causes in 350 locations across the UK.
Dingley has been shortlisted locally against the Enham Trust, in Enham Alamein, Andover Cricket Club and Andover Mind.
The runner-up groups will receive grants £2,000, £1,000 or £500 depending on the number of votes received.
To place your vote, visit

Voting closes on October 10.