A TOTAL of £55,000 has been given to Kirklees community groups.

Voluntary Action Kirklees has distributed the Government Neighbourhood Renewal Fund cash through its Community Chest and Community Learning Chest programmes.

The money will support groups in improving their local communities.

Applications for new grants are being accepted. Phone Sam Lofts at VAK on 01484 518457.

Twenty-three Kirklees groups have benefited from the latest round of cash.

Huddersfield Crusaders Majorettes have received £3,000.

Mai Bhago Indian Women's Society has received £2,000.

Huddersfield elderly people's support group The Deanery Project was granted £943 for its Bridge The Gap scheme, which brings generations together.

Scholes Environment Watch Group received £2,425 to create a sensory garden and buy equipment.

The St Patrick's Day Parade Association was given £1,000 to pay for the cost of bands for the Huddersfield procession, which took place on March 13.

Family support service Home Start received £720 to set up a website.

Penistone Line Rail Partnership has been given a £4,000 boost for its work to support the Holmfirth bus link to the Huddersfield to Sheffield railway line.

Deighton Carnival has received £1,000 to run community workshops in the run-up to the June 26 event.

Voluntary IT learning group LEARN.org.uk Ltd has been handed £2,500 to pay for IT classes for women.

Huddersfield Pakistani Youth Forum has received £4,847 to run residential trips.

Slaithwaite-based Association of Community Rail Partnerships received £4,600 for its work in advising community groups which support their local rail lines.

Nerve Centre, based at Lord Street in Huddersfield, received £2,000 for its work to support families and carers of people with neurological conditions.

Holmfirth Folk Festival was handed a £2,500 boost towards children's entertainment.

Thornhill Lees Gala committee received £720 to pay for street entertainers at the June 26 gala.

Huddersfield-based Environmental Alliance, which supports community environmental projects, got £786 to pay for first aid training.

Pure Elegance Children's Club received £1,000 to create carnival costumes.

Collab de Oig was given £3,665 to create a community dark room for photography.

Huddersfield Woodcraft Folk got £5,000 for an environmental allotment project.

Huddersfield Association of Kashmiris was handed £775 to stage a Kashmiri folk event.

Sunnydays Playgroup at Bradley got £1,500 towards running costs and equipment.

Castle and Minster Credit Union, which offers low-rate loans and competitive savings accounts to its Kirklees members, received £2,228 to run a training programme.

4th Golcar Scout Group received £825 to buy equipment.

Chaanun Theatre Company, of Huddersfield, got £4,720 to stage a bilingual play, Lahore To London.