CHILDCARE places for thousands of families across the North-East will be funded by more than £1.8m of National Lottery cash.
The 20 awards from the New Opportunities Fund were announced yesterday and will create 3,828 childcare places and 338 jobs.
Among those given grants was Sedgefield's Fingerpaint Kindergarten, in County Durham, which received £24,000 to create 24 before-school places, 24 after-school places and 24 holiday places for children aged five to 14.
Adrian Hall, of the kindergarten, said: "This additional money from the New Opportunities Fund will mean what would have been a good facility will be a fantastic one."
Three schools and a day nursery in Redcar and Cleveland were awarded a total of £117,100 to create 195 out-of-school places.
Three new breakfast clubs can be set up at Overfields, Wilton and Whale Hill primary schools to provide pupils with a healthy start to the day.
Other schemes to benefit include the Safer Play Club in Darlington and Middlesbrough Football Academy.
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