WINCHESTER City Council is inviting applications from within its area for amounts up to £500 to support one-off activities, a new piece of equipment, or a community activity.

Steve Miller, portfolio holder for estates and local economy, said: “The small grants have been a valuable source of funding for smaller organisations which has enabled a multitude of activities across the district.”

Among those who have recently benefited from small grant funding is the Alresford Historical and Literary Society, who requested funding to support the Arlesford Literary Festival.

Melissa Fletcher, funding and development officer, said: “The small grants are an essential source of funding for groups who just need a little bit of money for an activity or piece of equipment.

“We have a very healthy demand for this type of funding and where possible we try to support as many applications as we can.”

Melissa added:?“This is the first round of funding which will be managed through our new grant management software. During the testing phase a local community group said ‘over the past year I have submitted numerous on line grant applications to various organisations on behalf of my organisation but I found this the easiest I have come across to navigate and complete. Congratulations to all concerned’.”

The deadline for applications is noon on Tuesday, June 14. To apply, visit winchester.gov.uk.