A NATIONAL Lottery grant totalling nearly £157,000 has been handed to a group aiming to tackle rural isolation.

Ryedale Counselling Service (RCS), under the umbrella organisation of Ryedale Voluntary Action, has been awarded the Community Fund money to expand a wide-ranging counselling service, which is available in Malton and doctors' surgeries in outlying parts of the district.

The grant will allow volunteers working for the organisation to carry out long-term work with clients to improve their emotional and psychological wellbeing.

Counsellors work on a wide range of issues, from depression to bereavement.

One of the counsellors, Judi Davey, said the funding meant that extra sessions could be provided at a variety of venues across Ryedale.

RCS chief officer Paul Hayward said: "Ryedale is a sparsely populated rural area, facing a number of deep-rooted problems as a result of this isolation.

"Access to counselling services and mental health facilities is extremely limited, so this project will have enormous benefits for everyone involved."

Among the other projects in North Yorkshire to benefit from Community Fund money are Adult Placement Services, which was given £59,000 to provide holiday and respite services for vulnerable and disabled adults in Ryedale, Hambleton and Scarborough, and Sinderby Village Hall, which won almost £30,000 for repairs.