THE new of Cotswold District Council has announced his two charities which will receive his official support for his year in office.

Councillor Clive Bennett has chosen Garrison Girls, which was established by his daughter, Sarah Bennett Thurston, to help tackle post-traumatic stress disorder.

The charity helps fund treatment for former and serving military personnel who have this disorder and also supports family members who can also undergo ‘vicarious traumatisation.’

He has also chosen Scoo-B-Doo which supports the neonatal unit at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital in caring for sick and premature babies from Gloucestershire and beyond.

“There are so many deserving causes out there but I wanted to focus on two which had some influence on this district," said Cllr Bennett.

"Both charities are doing wonderful work and I understand that they would benefit from my personal support, especially if it leads to them gaining more financial help.

“Being a former military man, I was keen to help service personnel who have been affected mentally by combat. I know of several cases locally and Garrison Girls does a good job in helping to alleviate them.

“Scoo-B-Doo is a shining example of how a small group of people can come together to achieve something wonderful. Both my children were born prematurely and my wife and I were always grateful for the care that was taken with them."

Cllr Bennett is planning a number of fund raising activities to support both charities and is hoping many people across the district will join him in supporting them.