DOZENS of community projects across the region are sharing in over £3m of grants from the Big Lottery fund.

A total of 48 projects, including in Hartlepool, Middlesbrough and Staindrop, have received £3.3m to help local people improve their communities.

Those to benefit include:

* A project based at Waverley Terrace Allotments in Hartlepool, which supports people with learning difficulties or mental health problems to become involved in horticulture. The grant of £400,000 to Hartlepool Borough Council will support about 750 people.

* Scarth Memorial Village Hall Association in Staindrop, County Durham, will receive almost £500,000 to refurbish and upgrade the 140-year-old hall and expand services to support local people.

* Straightforward in Middlesbrough will receive almost £10,000 to run workshops on the issue of female genital mutilation.

Other projects to benefit include North Tyneside Carers Centre, Groundwork North East and Cumbria, Action for Children and Streetwise Young People's Project in Newcastle.

Lyn Cole, Big Lottery Fund, England Grant Making Director, said: "These projects are excellent examples of people working together to help others in their community including supporting them to attain the skills they need to realise their potential.”