YOUR favourite local paper is giving local charities the chance to take a share of a whopping £125k cash giveaway.

Our parent company’s charitable arm, The Gannett Foundation, is providing £125k in cash to support local charities across the country and we are delighted to have a £20k share to give away in our area.

And we asked YOU to decide where this money should be spent.

You nominated in your thousands and our editorial team chose a shortlist of eight charities from these nominations that will share in the £20k.

Communicare in Southampton is our local finalist. They provide a service to disadvantaged members of the community by extending a helping hand to those experiencing limitations.

Its principal objective is to relieve poverty, hardship and distress among the inhabitants of the city.

Around 325 volunteers complete day-to-day services, including long term befriending, trips out, shopping, transport, light gardening, DIY and decorating, family support and regular social events.

The charity are looking for a grant for their tea parties.

These provide opportunities for people meet one another and enjoy afternoon tea.

The other charities vying for a slice of the money in this region are Amelia’s Rainbow, Cornwall Accessible Activities Programme, South Wight Area Youth Partnership, The Bridge Youth Project, The Safe Basingstoke, The Will Mackaness Trust, Winchester Go LD.

Now we are putting the power to allocate the cash back into the hands of our readers.

During November, you are invited to collect tokens from our newspapers which can then be sent to collection points across our region or posted. Each token collected will then be used to allocate cash to the nominated charity – so if your favourite charity collects 50 per cent of all to tokens collected, it will receive 50 per cent of the £20,000.

Voting boxes

Premier Millbrook, 172 – 174 Windermere Avenue, Millbrook,  SO16 9GA

Issacs, 39 – 41  Queensway, Southampton, SO14 3BL

SNA Premier Supermarket, 1 The Broadway, Witts Hill, Midanbury, SO18 4QD

McColls Totton, Longstock Crescent, Totton, SO40 8ED

Boyatt News, Boyatt Shopping Centre, Shakespeare Road, Eastleigh, SO50 4QP

Sandy News, 54 Sandy Lane, Fair Oak, SO50 8GB

Andersons, 81 – 83 Hiltinbury Road, Chandlers Ford, SO53 5NQ

W H Smiths 32-34 Above Bar, Southampton, SO14 7LE

Newsquest T&Cs apply. erms and conditions will apply where relevant to the grants process. Please visit http://www.newsquest.co.uk/prize-competition-rules.