MORE than 130 organisations across the region are celebrating after receiving a share of a £415,000 grant.

A variety of voluntary and community-based groups received between £500 and £5,000 each as part of Millennium Festival funding announced this week.

Among the winners were The Outlookers, a Chester-le-Street theatre group for people with physical or sensory disabilities,which was awarded £1,580 to stage a production of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Also celebrating was a group planning to set up a Durham Mining Museum, which got a £4,400 grant.

Pat Lowes, senior awards officer for the North East Millennium Festival Awards, said: "I am delighted that so many groups have once again been able to access this funding, which really makes a difference to the groups and organisations that receive it.

"Since the scheme was introduced in April last year, more than 1,000 groups across the region have received a share of £3.1m."