EIGHTEEN community groups across County Durham are sharing £57,239 given by the National Lottery Awards for All scheme.

The scheme gives funding of between £500 and £5,000 to smaller groups that work to improve life in their communities.

Wingate and District Community Association, which serves Wingate, Station Town and Hutton Henry, in east Durham, is getting £5,000 to provide a snooker and pool table for the youth club it runs.

It is one of three groups in the Easington district that are sharing payouts totalling £11,406.

A total of £10,845 is being given to groups in the Chester-le-Street area including a £4,915 grant to South Pelaw Old Age Pensioners.

The group will spend the money on a bingo machine and a trip for its members.

The Consett South Enterprise Association, set up to assist social and economic development in the area, is getting £4,850 for materials for its resource centre. It is one of three awards totalling £9,820 going to Derwentside groups.

Four awards totalling £10,942 are going to Sedgefield including £1,400 for dance classes at Timothy Hackworth Primary School, Shildon, and £4,061 that will enable Newton Aycliffe Cricket Club to equip two new teams.

In Teesdale an award of £2,950 is being made to Artworks, which will run a ten-week art project for adults with learning difficulties in the Barnard Castle area.

Three groups in Wear Valley are sharing £11,276 including St Helen's Auckland Playzone, which will use its £4,840 for a summer programme of art, music and drama for youngsters.

The scheme's senior regional awards officer, Pat Lowes, said the grants were small but the difference they could make to the activities and achievements of the groups was enormous, and many of the payments would provide a lasting benefit.