Applications are flooding in for Comic Relief's £50,000 fund for Norwich groups changing lives in the East.

The charity and partner Norfolk Community Foundation say the standard of applications is better than ever, and there are just days left for groups to get their applications in.

New Routes is an organisation which knows first hand how crucial this grant can be. New Routes Integration in Norwich were granted £1,000 to help to pay for the transport costs for asylum seekers to access programmes and to meet their mentors or befrienders each week.

Dee Robinson, project coordinator, said: 'It's really great to have a bit of extra money and it's very generous.'

'Without the bus fares people would not be able to come and learn English. We are always fundraising to get money to pay for transport costs.'

She said the numbers of asylum seekers have doubled in Norwich and that most of them do not have the money to spend on public transport.

Their project supports asylum seekers in the community by offering a host of different groups including exercise classes, music groups and language classes.

Red Nose Day Community Cash grants of £500-£1,000 are available to small organisations in the East that are doing great work to help local people living tough lives.

Applications are open now, with the Norfolk Community Foundation working with Comic Relief to get the cash to the groups that need it most.

Interested groups can apply by going to http://www.norfolkfoundation.com/funds/red-nose-day-community-cash/.

This year the public is being asked to make their faces funny for money for Red Nose Day on March 13.

The charity is urging people across the East to paint their faces, wear a Red Nose or grow a sponsored comb-over to raise life-changing cash for vulnerable people all over the UK and across Africa.

All the latest Red Nose Day news and fundraising ideas are available from rednoseday.com.