Fathers and children in need of somewhere to meet up are set to benefit from a share of �17,500 following the latest round of community grants in north Norfolk.

Fathers and children in need of somewhere to meet up are set to benefit from a share of �17,500 following the latest round of community grants in north Norfolk.

The Griffon Area Partnership is one of six groups to be awarded money from The Victory Housing Community Fund which was set up last summer.

Sue Willis, community development officer for the partnership which serves North Walsham and the surrounding area, said the �5,000 would give fathers who do not live with their children somewhere to spend time with their families.

She said: 'We heard there are some fathers who couldn't see their children or, when they did, didn't have anywhere to take them because their accommodation wasn't suitable. They couldn't afford to take them to other places and were sometimes sitting in the rain with them.'

From September, fathers will be able to go along to the North Walsham children's centre on Manor Road where they will be able to have lunch and take part in activities like kite making.

A free event to promote the one-year pilot project, run jointly with Action for Children, will take place on June 20 at the centre.

Mrs Willis said all families, whether separated or not, were welcome to attend and mums could enjoy some pampering while dads spent time with their children.

Also receiving grants are:

Ladybird Pre-School Nursery, Sheringham - �4,000 for an artificial outdoor safety surface; Little Snoring Parish Council - �3,500 to improve play equipment in the village; Holt Youth Project - �3,000 for its healthy lifestyle programme; Stalham with Happing Partnership - �1,400 to run three weeks of drama workshops for the area's youngsters; and Fakenham Parochial Church Council - �600 towards a contemporary arts festival.

The grants were awarded by a panel of Victory Housing Trust residents and bring the total amount given to the community to �42,500.