A DAWLISH community charity has been granted £60,000 by the Lottery to help its services in the area for the next three years. 

Roots Community Enhancement is now in its sixth year of operation and helps almost 200 people in Dawlish and the surrounding area every month. 

Now it has been awarded the cash from the National Lottery Community Fund to support its work. 

The charity is being funded for its Thinkers AnxietyCafe, baby massage courses, ‘Hatchlings’ feeding support groups and the Coastal Carer’s Club.

The Waves bereavement group, children’s group Cygnets for up to 18-month-old babies which includes a weighing service, and Tempo Tots singing and craft group for up to four-year-olds will also benefit from the funding. 

Run predominantly by volunteers, the charity’s work directly helps several hundred people every month in Dawlish itself as well as Teignmouth and local villages. 

Charity director Rosie Dawson, who is also Mayor of Dawlish, said: ‘We are absolutely thrilled to be able to continue working with locals on community connection, mental wellbeing and living with life changes. 

‘We get such lovely feedback from people who use our groups so it’s wonderful the lottery finding panel have agreed to support us again.’

One of its efforts involved helping a family which had recently came to the Teignbridge area from war-torn Ukraine. 

A teenager, who wishes to remain anonymous, had a dream to own a guitar. 

Rosie got in touch with Gaz Chatterton of Gas Music Solutions which opened in Dawlish last year. 

Gaz got in touch with his friend and fellow musician Roger Helyar about the importance of music and creativity in teenage years. 

Their conversation prompted Roger to donate a brand new guitar to the teenager who is now enjoying making music. 

Comments by one person who uses the charity’s anxiety support group says it had been ‘life changing’. 

They said: ‘Meeting others and becoming part of a supportive community of people who understand me and the challenges I have.’

The organisation was set up to provide services and groups to individuals in and around Dawlish with the aim of improving lives.