A COMPETITION which could see about £40,000 given to tenants of an Isle of Wight housing association to smarten up their homes has been officially launched this month.

The Environmental Improvement Competition is now in its seventh year and is open to all 3,000 tenants of Medina Housing Association.

The scheme is worth about £40,000 and is judged by the tenants' consultative committee. Winners will get a slice of the money, which can be used to make improvements to the environment of association homes.

Medina's community development manager Bob Downer said: "The competition is a great opportunity for tenants to put their ideas into action.

"Like many forms of grant, it works on a bidding system in which applicants have to demonstrate that their project would benefit as many people as possible in a cost-effective way but what makes it special is that the entries are judged by the tenants' own elected representatives.

"The competition has funded projects ranging from flower tubs to entire play areas and the most recent project to be completed with a grant from the competition was the new play area at Mary Rose Avenue in Wootton."

Entry forms for the Environmental Improvement Competition are available from Bob Downer on 01983 824215.

The closing date for entries is March 3.