An Ards group has received nearly £9,000 from the Big Lottery Fund’s Awards For All programme.

Home-start Ards received £8,294 as part of a grants roll-out of £417,855 to 54 groups across Northern Ireland.

Home-start, which provides support for families with children under five, will use the grant to organise family groups which meet in Greyabbey and Newtownards.

“This money is a real boost as these groups play such an important role in helping families to combat isolation which can then lead onto other things like depression, for instance,” explained Joyce Ross, senior organiser at Home-start.

“The money will be used to fund speakers on topics like child behaviour, healthy eating and breast screening awareness, as well as providing crèche facilities and transport too as bus services aren’t always very frequent, especially in the Ards Peninsula area.”

Awards for All offers community, voluntary and statutory groups the chance to apply for small grants of between £500 and £10,000 that will have a big impact on local communities.