SCHOOLS and community groups are in the money, thanks to the Lottery Awards For All scheme.

The initiative gives grants of between £500 and £5,000, which enable more people to enjoy arts, sport, heritage and community activities, in addition to supporting projects that promote education, the environment and health.

Five groups in the district are among the 178 organisations in the south-west that will benefit from the latest handouts.

Salisbury and South Wilts District Scouts council receives £5,000 for an extension to its headquarters that will create more space for training, and the Aviation for Paraplegics and Tetraplegics Trust has been awarded £3,840 to spend on their tenth anniversary celebrations and help them raise awareness of their work.

Durrington C of E Junior School receives £1,254 to set up an after-school basketball club, Upper Avon School receives £3,793 to pay for extra-curricular fitness and aerobics classes and Larkhill Primary School gets £2,140 to improve athletics provision.

"We are very pleased to get this grant," said Larkhill headteacher Steve Norton. "It will buy all sorts of equipment, including foam javelins, which will allow children to develop their technique.

"This is completely new athletics equipment for us that will give the pupils new sporting opportunities.

"A lot of work went into applying for the grant and I am delighted we have been successful."

The Awards For All organisers are hoping to support another 100 groups in the first three months of this year and are encouraging organisations that require a cash boost to apply.

Acting senior awards officer Ray Moore said: "Sometimes relatively small amounts of money can have a big impact. I know these awards will make a real difference to communities.

"With the success rate of applications running at 70 per cent, we hope to continue supporting projects in the future."

To find out how you can apply, visit www.awardsforall.org.uk or call 0845 602040 for an application form.