A SOUTH Cerney pub is lending a hand to groups in the village after scooping a pub company award.

Publican Saraan de Guise from the Old George Inn has been given £5,000 prize money for winning the Enterprise Inns’ Enterprise Community Heroes awards.

She plans to spend on improving wheelchair access to her pub, toy equipment for the Mother and Toddler Group and improving the local scout hut which is also used by numerous organisations including the R Way youth group.

Saraan said: “I wanted to spend the money on all age groups throughout the village such as the toddler group.”

"I support R Way already, I provide the refreshments for them on a weekly basis. The scout hut could do with some maintenance work and some more investment The Old George was selected to win the award after organising a series of fundraising events regular fund raising events for local causes including a community carol singing evening for children with Cystic Fibrosis and the twice yearly M4 music festival which has raised more than £10,000 for the Gloucester branch of the Alzheimer’s Society."

Over the last 12 months the Old George Inn has become the community centre of the village providing a meeting place for various sports clubs, music groups and the poker club.

Saraan has also organised an annual golf day in memory of treasured customer Jim Pritchard who died of cancer in 2012.

For the last two years the event – which is affectionately known as ‘Our Best Friend Jim’s Day’ - has raised over £5,000 for Macmillan Cancer Research.

Other beneficiaries of the pub’s community minded fund raising efforts include a local woman who had successful stem cell treatment in America after raising £100,000.

Commenting on the award, Enterprise divisional director, Beki Davies said: “The publicans and staff at the Old George Inn epitomise what these awards are all about. By supporting good causes and putting local people first they have truly made their pub the hub of the community.”

The Enterprise Community Heroes awards are an ongoing commitment from Enterprise which has earmarked more than £1million over 10 years for the project. Successful initiatives or activities don't have to be big, but they do have to make a positive difference to their community.

The pub now goes forward to the national finals on 22nd October 2014 with the winner set to receive a further £5,000 to invest in their local community.