The Summerfield Charitable Trust is celebrating its 30th Anniversary by announcing four new awards.

Each worth £10,000, the awards will be gifted to specific projects or ideas which aim to tackle challenges across the county in new innovative ways.

David Owen, Summerfield Charitable Trust chairman and CEO of GFirstLEP said: "We are really excited to be launching the innovation awards to celebrate our 30th anniversary.

"The Summerfield Trust wants to celebrate the organisations that we have supported over the last 30 years and use these awards to look forward, with £40,000 dedicated to addressing challenges or creating opportunities in the county in new ways."

The Summerfield Charitable Trust was established by Ronald Summerfield, a Cheltenham based antique dealer, shortly before his death in 1989.

Since then approximately £14 million has been invested in good causes across Gloucestershire. The Trust awards between 70 and 90 grants each year with donations ranging from £500 to more than £20,000.

The four new innovation awards have been designed to reflect the key interest areas of the Summerfield Charitable Trust:

1. Arts Award - including the arts, museums and built heritage

2. Eco Award - including the environment and our natural heritage

3. Communities Award - including community building, especially among vulnerable or disadvantaged group

4. Education Award - including sport or recreation

Mr Owen added: "The awards will be given to charities or individuals who have an idea that demonstrates an original or inventive approach to tackling challenges and creating opportunities in the arts, environment, communities or in education."

For more information about the awards and to apply visit www.summerfield.org.uk.

The closing date for applications is the 9th April 2020. The successful awards will be announced in May 2020 and the idea or project needs to be delivered by the end of 2021.