A clutch of community groups from across north Norfolk have been awarded a slice of cash from a £44,000 council pot.
Sports clubs, scouts, a drama group and village hall are among the causes to have received a cash boost in the latest round of grants from North Norfolk District Council's (NNDC) Big Society Fund.
The money will now be used to buy equipment, make improvements, finish off projects and kickstart building schemes.
North Walsham Rugby Football Club was among the groups to be awarded a five-figure sum, and will be using its £12,500 grant to complete a refurbishment project.
The popular club, which has hundreds of members from the age of six, began revamping its well-used 1970s club house last April, upgrading the showers, toilets, function room and external cladding.
And the NNDC grant will now fund the final phase of work, bringing the women's facilities up to standard.
Keith Jarvis, who has been leading the revamp project, said: 'This is the icing on the cake.
'We're very pleased to get the money because we know money is tight nowadays. And having got other grants, to get this one to finish off what we want to do is great news.'
He said the grant would also be of benefit to the wider community as the club house was well used by other groups.
Another sporting society to receive a cash boost was the Smallburgh and Dilham Bowls Club. Members will be putting their £12,000 grant towards building a club house at its new site in Smallburgh.
Trevor Hardingham, club chairman, said the group was 'very pleased' to receive the grant and hoped to have the new club house in place in time for the 2014 season in May.
A further five grants were handed to:
Antingham Village Hall Committee – awarded £2,000 to install double glazed windows;
Fakenham and District Light Operatic Society – awarded £3,287.90 to go towards the purchase of portable lighting;
West Runton Scout Group – handed £10,000 towards a project to extend and improve facilities at the Scout hall;
Wells Maltings Trust – awarded £2,648.28 for an online booking system for the Granary Theatre;
Ashmanhaugh and Beeston Preston Room Committee – given £1,750 for fencing to improve safety and enable greater use of outside space
Tom FitzPatrick, NNDC leader, said: 'We are very excited to be able to offer this support... especially at a time when funding is in short supply.
'The idea behind the Big Society Fund is to support projects that strengthen our communities. It is about getting funding straight to the frontline and directly into the hands of those with good ideas about what they want to see happen in their towns and villages.'
Applications can still be made to the fund for this financial year, which ends in March. Visit www.northnorfolk.org for more details.
Has your group or club been awarded funding for a project? Email newsdesk@archant.co.uk
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