GROUPS are celebrating after winning grants totalling £165,999 from the National Lottery Awards for All fund.

Forty-three organisations in County Durham have received awards of between £600 and £5,000.

Pat Lowes, senior awards officer for Awards for All in the region, said: "The Awards for All programme is specially aimed at local clubs or groups who may have no experience of getting lottery funding and it has a high success rate.''

Among the grant recipients is the Durham County Scout Association, which will use its £5,000 to train 40 Scouts and Guides for an international jamboree.

The County Durham Badminton Association is also getting £5,000, to increase the number of coaches it has and run taster sessions.

Tantobie Charities, near Stanley, is getting £3,595 to hold an event to mark the Queen's golden jubilee, and the Friends of Langley Park School are getting £5,000 to create a fitness trail.

Brandon Carrside Youth Club is getting £3,360 to improve the kitchen at its clubhouse, and Pittington Village Hall Association is receiving £4,200 to pay for double-glazing the hall.

The East Durham Domestic Violence Forum is getting £5,000 to stage a seminar on the impact of violence in the home on children.

The 2nd Blackhall Scout Group will use its £5,000 award to buy camping equipment, and Trimdon Grange Community Centre will put £4,146 towards setting up a pilot youth club for eight to 12-year-olds.

The £1,442 given to Teesdale Credit Union will be put towards training for its volunteers, and the South Church Lane Allotment Association will use its £4,984 award to buy equipment for use by its members.

Middleton-in-Teesdale and District Village Hall Association is getting £5,000 for an architectural survey of Middleton-in-Teesdale, and Deaf Hill Primary School will use its £4,101 to launch an out-of-school gymnastics club.