Tendring is one of only six communities in the East of England which will share in a £169m pot to be handed out to deprived areas across the country.

The money will be pumped into health, education and the environment in a bid to reduce social disadvantage.

A certain amount of funds will be allocated to each area and then it will be up to groups and organisations to make a bid for their slice.

Tessa Jowell, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, was due to make the announcement in the House of Commons on Friday.

The Fair Share scheme is also aimed at areas which have received less than average funding from the lottery.

"Tendring will be one of the areas to benefit," said Mrs Jowell.

The Community Fund will be putting in £80m and a further £89m will be provided by the New Opportunities Fund.

Mrs Jowell said the areas selected were taken from the 100 most deprived areas according to the index of multiple deprivation 2000 and then from those who had missed out most on lottery money.

Harwich MP Ivan Henderson has been informed, prior to the announcement, that Tendring will be among the winners.

"This is great news and I am delighted big money will be coming the way of Tendring it is long overdue," he said.

Published Monday, March 4, 2002