MILLENNIUM Festival Awards for All grants totalling £17,039 have been given to eight local groups and organisations.

Organised through the National Lottery, the money is given to community groups to help them mark the Millennium.

The biggest local grant of £5,000 went to Lydeard St Lawrence Playing Field Association to buy mobile cricket nets and to put safety surfacing under play equipment. A storage shed will also be built.

Stogursey Victory Hall and Playing Field, the group which manages and maintains the community hall and field, has been given £3,395 to buy a public address system and to install a loop hearing system.

Williton Family Centre will fund training, children's outings and buy creche equipment with its grant of £1,400.

Holford Parish Council's project group receives £1,397 towards the costs of producing a Millennium book and to produce a carol concert.

Kilve Millennium Celebration Committee has organised a weekend of activities to celebrate the Millennium and its grant of £1,000 will be put towards a series of workshops.

Wimbleball Rowing Club has been given £2,774 towards the cost of coaching and equipment, while Norton Fitzwarren short Mat Bowling Club receives £1,200 for two new mats.

The last local grant of £873 went to Kingsmead Football Club, in Wiveliscombe, which promotes youth football in the area. The money will pay for football equipment and first aid training.

This latest round of grants was part of 312 awards valuing £835,856 in the South West.

To date, more than £5 million has been handed out since the scheme began and although the Millennium Festival Awards for All scheme finished last month a new Awards for All project will be continuing in its place.

Senior awards officer Kate Sclator said: "This award scheme has taken Lottery money to a wide range of local community groups for the first time.

"The response from groups in the South West region has been marvellous and we are absolutely delighted that the good work these groups do will continue to be supported when the scheme continues as Awards for All."