Bishop's Waltham and Meon Valley Citizens Advice Bureau is among 34 voluntary and community groups to benefit from more than £500,000 in grants given out by civic chiefs in Winchester this week.

The service was given £40,615 in a round of cash boosts as part of the city council's community grants programme.

Citizens Advice Bureau manager Suzanne Gill said the money - exactly the same figure as they received last year - would be spent solely on the general running costs of the service for the next year.

"We'd always like more funds, but we're grateful for the grant," she said.

"They don't have a bottomless pot of money and we will do our very best to balance the books and keep providing people with the best advice and information."

The funding will help towards staff salaries, general administration costs, information systems and rent on premises.

The service, based at Bishop's Waltham Library in Bank Street, with an outreach base at Wickham Community Centre, gives residents advice on a number of issues, from financial difficulties to consumer affairs and from employment and housing problems to taxes.

The organisation also receives top-ups from several parish councils, health bosses and public donations and carries out fundraising activities throughout the year.

Smaller grants, ranging from £1,000 to £10,000, have been made to organisations including Homestart Meon Valley and Bishop's Waltham Festival.

The other main recipients of the £525,765 were Winchester Citizens Advice Bureau (£127,158), Winchester Area Community Action (£98,465), The Trinity Centre (£86,100) and the annual Winchester Hat Fair Festival (£33,825).