VOLUNTARY groups in north County Durham are being encouraged to bid for National Lottery cash after several groups received money last year.

About £4.2m was given to 1,355 projects in the North-East last year under the National Lottery charities board Awards for All funding programme.

Among those to benefit was Gateway CycleAbility, in Chester-le-Street, which received £5,000 to promote cycling for people with learning or physical difficulties.

Perkinsville and Ouston Over Sixty Club used a £3,000 award for a Scarborough trip.

The aim of Awards for All is to provide funding of between £500 and £5,000 for small, grassroots projects which involve people in thelocal community.

Pat Lowes, the programme's senior awards officer, said: "We are particularly interested in trying to reach groups that have never received Lottery funding before.

"We believe that is where the public want to see the money going."

For more information call the regional office on 0191-255 1100 or for an application pack call 0845 6002040.