A CHARITY is planning to use a £10,000 grant to raise awareness of the need for disabled access.

Disability Action in Richmondshire has been awarded the money by the Lloyds TSB Foundation and will spend the cash on a development worker.

The charity deals with problems of physical access to services and tries to raise public and local authority awareness of the needs and aspirations of disabled people.

Chairwoman Anne Veasey said: "The disability discrimination act comes into force in October 2004, and it says that all businesses, including those with less than 15 employees, must be reasonably accessible for disabled people.

"We are hoping to tell businesses what they need to do to prepare for this.

"A lot of people do not know that that we have to have disabled access to places. I am not just talking about wheelchair access, there is also people with hearing impairments and the blind, who have difficulty getting in and out of shops because of bits sticking out here and there."

Other charities across the county were also given grants. In York, Accessible Arts was awarded £4,000 for the Hands and Voices Choir training and development programme, and the Association of Charity Independent Examiners was given £9,562 for training courses in Yorkshire.

The East Cleveland Youth Housing Trust was given the largest amount; £14,000 for a youth development co-ordinator and site supervision costs.

In Harrogate, St Michael's Hospice was given £3,000 for a patient assisted bath.

Steven Robinson, Yorkshire regional manager of the Lloyds TSB Foundation, said: "We have supported 312 charities this year and the money has gone right to the heart of local communities, helping to make a positive difference where it is really needed."