CHARITIES in Salisbury, south Wiltshire, Dorset, and the New Forest are once again invited by the Journal to apply for grants of up to £50,000 from the Gannett Foundation.

The foundation, which is the charity arm of Gannett Co Inc, the owner of the Newsquest Media Group incorporating the Salisbury and Forest Journals, and the Avon Advertiser, offers charities the chance to bid for funding cash twice a year.

The deadline for applications is March 13 and the foundation invites bids from youth projects, projects that benefit people with special needs either through disability or disadvantage, and sport, environment, conservation and local history projects.

Applications must be from registered charities only and grants will not cover general running costs, salaries, training costs, endowment funds, general appeals, general contributions to costs or multi-year campaigns.

The foundation does not give grants to schools, public or private, except to those catering for children with disabilities or complex needs. They will also not give grants to national or regional organisations, unless the project addresses specific local community needs, political, religious or uniformed groups, medical or research organisations, or animal charities.

Last year, the Tisbury community transport group received a donation for £10,000 to fund a new purpose built minibus and the New Forest-based charity Sailability, which teaches disabled people to sail, was awarded £5,000.

After receiving their cheque last year, Vivian Longland, Tisbus group's honorary secretary, said: "We have a lot of people living here who are very isolated and without the bus, travel is very difficult.

"We had been surviving with hand-me-down buses for a long time but getting the Gannett Foundation award was brilliant news and allowed us to buy a brand new bus."

Applications must be submitted on the approved form, which can be obtained from Bill Browne, Publisher, Salisbury, Newspapers, Rollestone House, Rollestone Street, Salisbury, SP1 1DY, or by emailing his secretary, Hilary Howell, at hilary.howell@salisburyjournal.co.uk.