CHESTER-le-Street people can vote funding for 22 local community groups.

The groups are vying for a share of £28,000 for facility improvements or buying new equipment.

The vote takes place the Its UP 2 U event at Park View School, Church Chare, Chester-le-Street, on Saturday, March 21 between 10am and 2pm.

The groups are: The 22 projects are: Chester-le-Street Town Football Club, Wear Valley Angling, Bullion Community Resource Centre, Durham Alcohol Self Support Service, Aspire,

Chester-le-Street Sea Cadets, Sacriston Colliery Cricket Club, Mypainfibro, Chester-le-Street Amateur Rowing Club, Fencehouses Indoor Bowling Club, Burnmoor Cricket Club,

Top House (formerly Lilac Community House),

If U Care Share, Great Lumley Community Association, Chester-le-Street Community Association, Real Lives Real Choices,

Chester-le-Street Girl Guiding, Room 14 – Pelton Community Association, Chester-le-Street Junior Schools Football Association,

Chester-le-Street Royal British Legion, 1st Burnmoor Scouts, and Lumley Football Club.

Up to £3,000 from the Chester-le-Street and District Area Action Partnership (AAP) will go to the groups with the most votes.

Only people aged at least 11 and who live, work, volunteer, study or attend a community project in the AAP area can vote.

Cestria Community Housing donated £2,000 to the funding pot.

Cllr Tracie Smith, chairwoman of Chester-le-Street and District AAP, said: “This follows on from a similar event we held in 2013 which was hugely successful with more than 1,000 people voting. Once again we are looking for the public to get behind local projects and come along and vote. It is great to see so many community groups coming forward and showing what is being done in the area.”