MORE than 40 community groups in the North-East have received awards from BT Community Connections, to help them connect to the Internet.

A panel of judges allocated the awards in the nationwide scheme to groups and individuals who illustrated most effectively how an Internet-ready PC would benefit their community.

On the panel was David Halladay from Business in the Community, who said: "It was encouraging to see such a wide variety of applications from a diverse cross section of the community.

"In particular we were looking for innovative ideas that would make a real and lasting difference to the local community."

Among the 43 communities to benefit in the second round of awards from the scheme, was Woodhouse Close Church Community Centre in Bishop Auckland, County Durham.

Residents on the Woodside Estate will have access to the Internet, to be used to provide health information for young mothers and act as an educational tool for young people.

In Darlington, the Firthmoor Community Centre will provide an Internet service in the community caf area.

Residents will be able to look for work, edit CVs, complete homework, and carry out a number of other tasks.

The deadline for communities to enter the third round of the BT Community Connections award scheme is August 10. Details are available by logging on to www.bycommunityconnections.com