COMMUNITY groups and organisations in the Stroud area were recently offered an extra Helping Hand with their fundraising ventures.

High Street retailer Wilkinson, which opened its 259th store in Stroud's Merrywalks Retail Centre, has now revealed details of the groups benefiting from their community-based Helping Hands initiative.

Family-owned home and garden retailer Wilkinson in association with supplier Cadbury joined forces with the Stroud News & Journal to launch the Helping Hand initiative, to mark the arrival of Wilkinson in Stroud.

And thanks to the Wilkinson initiative 20 local community groups, schools and individuals have been given a welcome Helping Hand.

"For the past 75 plus years Wilkinson has been offering a Helping Hand with value-for-money shopping on the high street and we passionately believe in being at the heart of the communities in which we trade," said new store manager Alan Parris.

"Our Helping Hands initiative reflects our culture and we have tried to help as many groups as we can. "

Among the groups to benefit from Wilkinson's Helping Hands in association with Cadbury are the Scout Valley Scouting Group who needed help to redecorate the kitchen at their headquarters, the Guild of Disabled Homeworkers, The Meadows Toy and Leisure Library who needed help with toys and equipment and the Stroud Community Trust who were given help to purchase new garden tools, along with many other groups, schools, clubs and societies.

"We would like to personally thank everyone who wrote to us. Each was an extremely worthwhile cause and we wish them all well with their projects and fundraising," said Mr Parris.

"We certainly hope that Wilkinson's Helping Hand will provide a boost to all of those within the area working extremely hard to support the local community in Stroud."