A LOCAL charity which supports victims of domestic abuse is one of those to receive a much-needed boost from Four Lanes Trust.

Taking Steps Project, which was set up in 2012, was given a grant of nearly £1,000 which has helped to set up a dedicated 24-hour telephone service and create official headed paper for the charity.

Taking Steps Project chief executive Gerrie Jordan said: “We are so grateful to Four Lanes Trust for the grant. Without the charity’s support, we would not be able to carry on doing what we do.

“The phone line will mean that women have someone to call at any time of day. In an emergency, of course, you should call the police, but a lot of people experiencing domestic abuse won’t call the police. This is a big step forward for us.”

Taking Steps received £976.78 from the Four Lanes Trust in a recent meeting.

The charity was one of 11 across the borough and beyond who received grants totalling £8,276.78 in the latest rounds of funding.

Also among those helped by Four Lanes was Home Start NW Hampshire, which was given £2,000 towards rent costs, Bramley Primary School, which was handed £1,000 for playground equipment and Kingsclere Parish Council, which received £500 towards a village defibrillator.

The Young Playwrights Project also received £500 to host a playwriting and performance workshop at The Vyne Community School, Spotlight UK was given £750, and Basingstoke Festival of Choirs was handed £500 towards a WW1 commemorative concert.

Four Lanes Trust director Bob Carr said: “We are delighted to have been able to help such a variety of groups.”