SIX community groups in Winchester are to benefit from small grants as part of a series of handouts by civic chiefs.

The grants come from Winchester City Council's Community Chest Grants Scheme and bring the number of groups supported by the scheme to 34 since its launch last April.

The Community Chest provides grants of up to £500 to community and voluntary groups in the Winchester district, with the criteria focused on six themes - arts, community development, community safety, heritage, sports and town twinning. The latest awards were made to:

Bishop's Waltham Guides' Association - £250 for disabled access improvements for the hut

Denmead War Memorial Hall - £250 for storage facilities

Jubilee Rovers Junior Football Club - £265 for new training equipment for the junior teams

Soberton Village Hall - £336 to replace 20-year-old curtains

Swanmore Village Hall - £447 to mark out the car park, improving access and parking for disabled visitors and the Community Bus

Tadance - £250 towards the set-up costs for a new dance group for adults with mobility impairments.

So far the authority has paid out more than £12,000 to local groups in its first year.

Speaking about the latest awards, Councillor Therese Evans, Cabinet portfolio holder for culture, heritage and sport, said: "It has been a very successful way of contributing to small local projects.

"These are very important to communities across the district."

For more information on the grants e-mail community services@winchester.gov.uk or telephone 01962 848537.