MORE than £40,000 will be shared out among 12 Gwent groups thanks to the Big Lottery Fund.

The groups across Newport, Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly and Torfaen will all share in £41,724 being handed out as part of the Awards for All scheme.

A total of 55 community-based projects across Wales will share in £219,482 awarded under the latest round of the small grants programme.

Among those in Gwent benefiting is the Ty Sign and Local Communities Partnership which will receive £5,000 to offer play provision to communities in the Lower Sirhowy Valley and Ty Sign areas. This will include funding play workers, play resources and first aid training.

Beaufort Tenants and Residents Association in Blaenau Gwent will receive £4,705 which will be used to help develop a community garden next to a recently installed war memorial while Brynteg Nursery School, Abersychan, will receive £4,450 to renovate some small disused buildings in the school grounds. These will be created into a role play area where children and parents will learn skills on the themes of health, learning and prosperity.

Maesglas Community Network, Newport, will receive £3,658 to provide seven laptops for its job clubs.

Other Gwent groups to benefit include IT4US in Blaenau Gwent which will receive £3,070, the Heads of the Valleys Gateway Club which receives £2,137, Gwent Valleys Integrated Activities Club which will be awarded £1,400 and Llanhilleth Crafters which will get £4,530.

Friends of Ynysddu Youth will be awarded £3,760, Caerphilly Borough Mind will receive £2,235 and the Royal Ordnance Glascoed Retirement Fellowship, of Torfaen, will be awarded £3,150.

Dragon Bands, of Torfaen, will receive £3,629.