WORCESTERSHIRE groups have benefitted from a share of more than £30,000.

A number of organisations and good causes around the West Midlands — including five in Worcestershire — are celebrating following the latest round of National Lottery grants.

A total of £33,209 has been split between Ombersley Memorial Hall, Leigh and Bransford Memorial Hall and recreation ground, Friends of St Barnabas School in Drakes Broughton, Footsteps Worcestershire ltd and the Worcester AIDS Foundation.

The Friends of St Barnabas School has been awarded £10,000 to help with its Drakes Broughton Takes to the Stage project, which will see the group create a mobile multimedia resource that will support local voluntary organisations and help deliver public events in the area.

Leigh and Bransford Memorial Hall will spend the awarded £8,000 on a kitchen refurbishment, allowing the hall to cater for more people, and the Worcester AIDS Foundation will use the £6,828 to conduct a feasibility study and consult with potential service users about issues they face and how the organisation can help.

Footsteps Worcestershire will spend £5,081 on team building days, staff training and therapeutic workshops for families dealing with bereavement.

Ombersley Memorial Hall will use £3,300 to provide local people with computer skills to encourage independence and decrease isolation.

The hall, based on Sandys Road, has been running classes for people since September, and they run every Saturday from 9am until 10am.

Ian Freeman, chairman of the hall, said: "When I became chairman a year ago, we all sat down and discussed what we could do for the local community. We thought that because we have an ageing population it would be helpful to teach members of our community who want to learn how to do online shopping and online banking.

"It's going extremely well and we are very pleased to have the funding as it will allow us to keep it going and to grow.

"We are getting over-subscribed. People who come along say the classes are really helpful. We will use some of the money to invest in some equipment for everyone to use."