LOTTERY chiefs are to launch an awareness campaign about the impact of their funding in the North-East.

Although more than £500m has been spent on 5,500 projects in the region over seven years, research has shown that only one in ten people can name a local community project which has benefited.

The research revealed that nearly 60 per cent of those questioned in the region thought it was difficult to find out about good causes.

They cited the local media, the Internet and libraries as the most popular places to find out more.

Only one per cent of those questioned managed to identify that 28p in every lottery pound goes to good causes and 40 per cent said they thought the money only went to large-scale projects.

Diane Thompson, chief executive of lottery organisers Camelot, said: "Many people are aware of the major projects but few really know the genuine value of funding and the real difference it makes to the thousands of small initiatives and community based projects in the North-East."

Lottery funding in the North-East has included major multi-million pound projects like the development of Sunderland Winter Gardens, the restoration of Durham's coastline, The Gateshead Millennium Bridge, the new Raich Carter Sports Centre in Sunderland and The Discovery Museum in Newcastle

However, the scheme has also helped smaller projects such as providing cash to schools across the region to purchase educational and sports equipment, musical instruments and set up flexible learning programmes.

It has also helped finance Saturday schools, literacy support programmes and special homework clubs.