NEARLY £3m in grants has been awarded to community groups across the North-East in the latest round of awards by the Big Lottery Fund.

Among the largest grants announced yesterday was £122,000 to the Derwentside Alzheimer's Society, in County Durham, and £91,000 to the St Cuthbert's Youth and Community Programme, in Middlesbrough.

A total of 35 projects around the region are sharing £2.85m awarded by the fund.

Terry Coyle, administrator with the Derwentside branch of the Alzheimer's Society, said: "We are doing cartwheels over news of this grant.

"We were really desperate - we are self-funding and have to raise everything ourselves.

"We look after our clients, but their carers, who are often elderly, have enormous responsibilities and physical demands made on them.

"We will now be able to get our dementia services unit up and running, which will offer carer support and respite care so that carers can get a break."

The St Cuthbert's group is to use its funding to expand its range of projects. Treasurer Andrea Robson said: "We are going to offer more facilities, get more staff and publicise our centre properly to young families, older people, college students - everyone.

"We want to set up friendship groups and lunch clubs for the elderly and build up our youth centre."

A further £33,000 has been awarded to the East Durham Groundwork Trust, which is working with disadvantaged residents of Easington and Sedgefield to set up allotments to promote mental and physical health.

James Turner, head of the Big Lottery Fund for the Northern Region, said: "The 35 new awards that we are announcing today will make a real difference to those most in need and support services that empower communities to achieve greater independence and improve their quality of life."