A MEETING to re-establish the former West Wight Community Partnership (WWCP) takes place at the Sports and Community Centre, Freshwater, on Tuesday.

The fundraising body for initiatives in the West Wight is to be reconstituted as a charitable community interest company.

The project is being led by Island and Freshwater parish councillor, John Medland, who has been supported by Cllr George Cameron.

Cllr Medland said: "The partnership was created some years ago by David and Esme Ballard.

"For several years the WWCP organised fund raising cultural events of music and talks with the funds being donated to a different local charity each year.

"Those of us who remain with WWCP have decided to reconstitute it as a charitable community interest company which is capable of fundraising for local good causes.

"Unlike the former association, a CIC/charity will be capable of making serious grant funding applications rather than collecting relatively small amounts of cash in donations.

"The WWCP has always covered all the seven western civil parishes, Brighstone, Calbourne, Freshwater, Shalfleet, Shorwell, Totland and Yarmouth.

"But for demographic reasons, with 40 per cent of the population, is more likely to concentrate its efforts within Freshwater.

"I am thinking of the long list of project plans which the parish council has accumulated and whether WWCP could help in getting some of these funded and actioned.

"However our current priority is making applications for the Western Yar Seat Project."

The meeting starts at 10.30am.