A netball club in Bicester has received a donation of £1,000 to spend on new equipment and extra coaching sessions.

Costa Coffee has gifted the sum to Bicester Bullets Netball Club as part of its Community Grant scheme.

Club chair of Bicester Bullets, Hannah, said: "This donation from Costa Coffee comes at a crucial time, as we look to invest in extra equipment and training sessions.

"With their support, we can reach more people in our community and provide them with the opportunity to participate in and enjoy netball.

"We are grateful to have received the £1,000 Community Grant and are excited about the difference it will make."

Bicester Bullets provides opportunities for adults to take part in netball, including causal sessions aimed at encouraging women to get back into the sport.

Around 40 of their players compete in the Oxfordshire netball league.

With the donation, the club will be able to purchase new equipment, in addition to funding specialist coaching sessions to upskill their players.

As the official coffee partner at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Costa Coffee is celebrating a summer of sport by supporting sports clubs up and down the country.

Throughout the summer, the firm has donated £50,000 to 50 community groups and charities.

It has also increased its Community Grants from £500 to £1,000, which are handed out based on nominations from its staff.

This is to mark a decade of the company's Community Programme, which enables its teams to volunteer their time to good causes and to invite community groups to make use of space in stores.

Over the past three years, Costa Coffee's Community Grants Scheme has contributed more than £180,000 in total.

It said this is "a testament to the company's ongoing commitment to social responsibility and community enrichment".

Community co-ordinator at Costa Coffee, Jo Jennings, said: "We are thrilled to be able to contribute to the incredible work being done by Bicester Bullets Netball Club.

"At Costa Coffee, we recognise the dedication and passion that sports clubs bring to their local areas, and we are proud to be extending a helping hand to sporting groups across the nation through our Community Grants Scheme."

Costa Coffee also set up The Costa Foundation in 2007, a registered charity with the aim of improving the life chances of children in coffee growing communities by helping them access a safe, quality education.

So far, it has funded more than 100 school projects and worked with more than 120,000 children.