The new Alton Jane Austen Group received a £500 grant from Alton Town Council during its full council meeting on January 8.

Alton community stalwart Pat Lerew chairs the group, which is looking forward to a busy year celebrating the author’s 250th birthday.

While the group could not include a set of accounts in its grant application - it said “we have been forced to start from scratch” - councillors noted it will soon have money from the Jane Austen Birthday Ball Weekend on January 18 and 19.

The Jane Austen Birthday Ball will be at the Alton Assembly Rooms on January 18, with doors opening at 7pm for a 7.30pm start.

A buffet is included in the £70 ticket cost and there will be a licensed cash bar. For tickets visit www.ticketsource.co.uk/alton-jane-austen

Also on January 18 will be a viewing of Jane Austen’s books, and children’s craft activities, at Alton Library (10am-4pm), a tour of the Church of St Lawrence with historian Jane Hurst (midday, £5), cream teas at the Alton House Hotel (3.30pm-5pm, £16.50), and the Vanity Hair Parlour Pop-Up Salon doing hairdressing bookings ready for the ball (1pm-5.30pm, £45).

On January 19 will be the film of Jane Austen’s Emma at the Allen Gallery (2.30pm, £7) and Choral Evensong at the Church of St Lawrence (6pm, free). Jane Austen's House and Chawton House will be open both days.

Given a grant of £400 was Alton Victorian Cricket, which hosts a charity cricket tournament in Victorian kit to Victorian rules on The Butts every June.

Cllr John Chubb said: “I think they’re both fantastic events and it would be nice to get a council team out for the cricket.”