ALMOST £125,000 was awarded to charities and community groups across Hampshire last month by the National Lottery.

A total of 15 community groups across the county have received a share of the funding which is being distributed nation wide by The National Lottery Fund, the largest funder of community activity in the UK.

This forms part of the comprehensive package of support of up to £600 million which was recently unveiled to go towards charities and organisations who regularly support communities, arts, heritage, education, sports or the environment.

One of the projects that benefited from the funding was "WESSEX SERV", a charity based in Waterlooville, who deliver medical supplies across Hampshire.

The charity was awarded £10,000 to purchase a new scooter so it can meet the increase in demand for its free out-of-hours and weekend medical delivery service across Hampshire, transporting blood, platelets, urgent medical samples and equipment across the region.

Robert Smith, Project Lead at SERV, said: “Thanks to this funding, we have been able to expand our provision and offer more help across the city during these difficult times. We would like to thank everyone who supports The National Lottery and encourage other charities to apply for a grant."

Since the coronavirus crisis began, the number of deliveries being carried out by the volunteers at the charity charity per week has almost tripled, covering nearly 3,000 miles in deliveries on a weekly basis.

Helen Bushell, Head of Funding for the South and East of England at The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “It has been heartening to see how communities in the South East have been responding to the crisis.

“National Lottery players can be proud that the money they’ve raised is making a real difference at a time when it is most needed. We will carry on getting vital funding out to charities and voluntary sector organisations, so they can step up to overcome obstacles caused by the pandemic and help their community to rebuild and recover in the future.”

Going forward, The National Lottery Community Fund will continue to prioritise getting funding to groups best placed to support their communities at this vital time and also towards those seeking to rebuild afterwards.