CAUSES to make the community safer were rewarded by the county’s police and crime commissioner in Festival Place on Tuesday.

Commissioner for Hampshire Constabulary, Michael Lane, was in the shopping centre to accept public votes for a £500 grant to be given to one of four causes selected.

Members of the public put counters into containers indicating which charity they wanted to get the support and the winner of the £500 prize was Inclusion, with its Aldershot branch receiving the money.

Joel Petty, one of the volunteers at Inclusion Aldershot, said: “This is great, it feels good that people have got behind us like this, it makes us feel that we are on the right line.

“The money will be used to set up a music group so that people recovering from drug addictions can use their time for something positive. We’re hoping to get this project off the ground in the next month or so.”

One of the more local projects to Basingstoke was the Oakridge Federation, which runs the Oakridge Infant and Junior Schools.

It was selected to be given a special £300 second place prize.

Mr Lane said: “How could I not want to be a part of this project that I am sure will be successful? They have been so engaging, and really believe in their cause, which will help keep the children safe.”

The federation is looking for the funds to install signs to encourage safer and slower driving and parking near their school.