A CASH-injection of more than £18,000 has been invested in Indigo Arts to help fund its Musicmaker project.

The grant, from the National Foundation for Youth Music, has enabled the Woodrow Drive group to employ additional vocal coaches, guitar and drum tutors and trainee workshop leaders.

Director Cathy Moss said charities like Indigo Arts relied on grants to develop members' skills.

She said: "There is so much talent in our group and the grant really is an investment.

"It has enabled us to increase our number of skilled staff and develop the project to help young people move forward to achieve their full potential."

Musicmaker works with up to 100 young people aged seven to 19 years old in vocal workshops that run twice a week.

Individuals' instrumental skills and choreography are developed and displayed in two major performances a year, in addition to a number of smaller community performances.

Sessions known as Minumistic workshops are run for children aged between four and six years old and 12 to 18 year olds can attend Upstage theatre workshops.

Indigo plans to launch further classes later on in the year and to improve and develop Redditch peoples' accessibility to the arts.