Thousands of pounds of National Lottery cash has been awarded to community groups in the Braintree area this week.

Among organisations to benefit in the latest round of lottery awards are Finchingfield Almshouses Trust and Blackmore End village hall with grants of £5,000 each, and Wethersfield village hall which gets £4,500.

Another £3,000 was awarded to Kelvedon Good Companions Club to take elderly members on more days out, and raise awareness of the club by spending more on publicity.

The almshouses trust will use the money to update bathroom and kitchen facilities and install insulation in its Grade 1 listed properties which adjoin the guildhall and library.

Clerk to the Finchingfield trust, Tom Bigmore, said he was delighted to receive the boost to the trust's £22,000 renovation plans.

"It's all about bringing them up to modern standards. We hope to have a formal opening when the work is finished," he added.

Kelvedon Good Companions Club secretary, Honor Harris, said the club's 67 members would be able to enjoy more treats like afternoon tea on day trips.

"We are really pleased," she said. "A lot of people who come to us don't see many people and it's a meeting place for them, so it's very important."

Blackmore End village hall's management committee will now be able to improve access to the building for the disabled by altering its entrance.

And at the village hall in Wethersfield, work can now go ahead to carry out repairs to toilets and install a suspended ceiling to cut heating costs.

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