Your community could be in with the chance of being granted up to a grand- just like Community Action Norwich

Children having fun at the Community Action youth club at the New Hope Christian Centre, who were granted £1,000 last year from Community Cash with Comic Relief.Picture by SIMON FINLAY. (Image: Archant Norfolk.)

You have until February 23 to bid for up to a grand from our Comic Relief Community Cash fund for your deserving cause.

Each of the worthy winners will earn themselves between £500 to £1,000 to help them continue doing their vital work in Norwich.

Community Action Norwich is a charity working in the Lakenham community of Norwich, an area of deprivation.

They run programmes seeking to serve those in need.

Children having fun at the Community Action youth club at the New Hope Christian Centre, who were granted £1,000 last year from Community Cash with Comic Relief.Picture by SIMON FINLAY. (Image: Archant Norfolk.)

Last year, they were granted £1,000 to go towards the running costs of their weekly youth club.

The helping hand also gave them the opportunity to buy more equipment and increase the number of activities they do for the children.

Clare Elkins, children's worker at Community Action, said she hopes groups who are doing their bit for the community will be inspired to apply for this year's grant.

She said: 'It's definitely worth applying because even if you think what you're doing is ordinary, actually you're giving something back which is an extraordinary thing to do.'

The youth club, at the New Hope Christian Centre, is free to the community and offers an hour and a half of cooking, games and craft for children and young people between five and 14.

Mrs Elkins, of Taverham, said: 'We wanted to encourage people to give something back to their community as they grow up. We like for everyone to stay on as a helper.'

She said they have some helpers who are about to go to university who started the group when they were children.

Mrs Elkins said: 'What I love is that we have worked with the community for so long. It's really nice to be part of that. It's hard wok but it's all worth it.'

Community Action Norwich was one of over 50 groups to benefit from the Community Cash in association with Norfolk Community Foundation fund last year.

Groups eligible to apply for Red Nose Day Community Cash grants need to:

• Be working in a disadvantaged or deprived area;

• Be small local groups with an income of less than £100,000 run by local people;

• Have limited access to other sources of income.

Examples of the type of activities the cash will fund:

• Parent and Toddler Groups;

• Equipment and material for sports groups;

• Cross generational work eg. Young people volunteering at older people's groups;

• Lunch clubs for isolated individuals;

• Running costs for self-help groups;

• Committee and volunteer/staff training;

• Disability sports clubs/activities;

• Training and volunteering projects;

• Day events that help to build strong relationships within the community;

• Community groups and set up costs for new groups;

• Bereavement support groups;

• Social groups for people with mental health problems;

• Carer support groups;

• Advice services to help people resolve money worries.

Grants will not be awarded:

• To individuals;

• To statutory organisations including schools;

• To fund trips abroad;

• To fund buses, mini buses or other community transport schemes;

• To fund building costs.