Village groups in Melbourn and Meldreth will benefit from funding from South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Community Chest.

The scheme targets funds at local grass-roots projects that benefit those residents most in need, and groups can apply for up to £1,000.

At the latest meeting of the council's Grants Advisory Committee, it was recommended that the recipients of the latest awards included Melbourn Mobile Warden Scheme - which will receive £835 to pay for the catering of 50 meals at a Celebrating Ages event.

Meldreth Village Hall Trust received £880 to go towards replacing the stage light with energy-efficient alternatives, at a previous meeting held in July.

Other causes that have been provided with Community Chest funding this year include Mother Goose Preschool in Barrington.

Committee chair, Councillor Jose Hales - who represents Melbourn - said: "All of these projects do very valuable work in their communities and it's excellent that these small grants help them to continue to make a positive difference.

"The benefits of the funding that we recommended at our meeting will be felt by lots of people because two of the grants will go directly towards bringing communities together for social events.

"This Community Chest scheme is a fantastic way of providing valuable funding to community and voluntary groups."

SCDC's lead cabinet member for finance, Councillor John Williams, added: "I was pleased to sign-off on all of these grants because they all support excellent causes. "We're committed to being a modern and caring council and our Community Chest scheme is a good way of showing this. Funding remains available so I'd urge groups to submit their bids now."

Applicants to the Community Chest scheme can be non-profit groups or organisations based in South Cambridgeshire or benefiting the district's residents. The community activity or project must achieve one or more of the following aims - help promote healthy and active communities, enable inclusive communities, develop skills, enhance the natural environment.

It must also meet a local need, leave a legacy for the community and ensure equality of access.

Groups can complete an application on the council's website at www.scambs.gov.uk/communitychest.