The many charities, groups and organisations around the Malvern Hills rely on the help of excellent volunteers.

But they also need funding and Malvern Hills Lions Club, itself a voluntary organisation, is trying to ease this burden with its community awards scheme.

Groups can apply for a grant from a pool of £1,000 raised by the Lions, by filling in the coupon below.

This is the second phase of a scheme run though the Malvern Gazette & Ledbury Reporter which was launched in November, when six groups benefited from £200 each.

Applications which were unsuccessful last time will be considered again. The closing date for new applications is January 23.

Coupons and applications should be sent to 'Help us to Help You' at the Malvern Gazette & Ledbury Reporter, Broads Bank, Malvern, WR14 2HP.

Bob Appleby of the Lions' community service committee said: "We want to support local organisations, clubs and groups who can make use of the cash."

One of the organisations that benefited from the first phase of grants was the Peppercorns, a youth theatre group in Upton that received a £200 grant.

The group now has 40 members, aged 10 to 21, and was set up in March 2002 after youngsters complained there was nothing to do in the town.

Chairman Porla Hickman said: "As a voluntary group we don't have funds coming in at all and as we have quite a few children involved we need fairly big places to rehearse in and the running cost of it all does mount up."

In the initial stages of a production the group can rehearse for free in a barn owned by the Swan Hotel but when things become more polished and for performances it needs to hire bigger spaces such as the town's Memorial Hall. The grant will also help to pay for costumes.

Mrs Hickman said the highlight of the Peppercorns year was September's production of Godspell and everyone tried hard at a Christmas show held on Saturday, December 20, despite many of the cast being affected by illness.

Plans for 2004 include a production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in March and developing the Peppercorns into a youth club as well as a drama club with netball, pool and snooker teams.

Ledbury's VIP club for visually impaired people also received £200 from the Lions in the first phase of the scheme.

The club has 18 members and meets on the first and third Thursday of every month at the St Michael's flats in Church Street.

In the winter months there are speakers and during the spring and summer the group goes on outings.

Leader Dorothy Ginn said: "The club helps people with visual impairment. They don't get out very much and if they do go out it's very difficult when they can't see so our members look forward to coming to the club."

The money will go towards paying for speakers and the minibus needed for the trips, which is provided by Ledbury Community Voluntary Service (CVS).

Driver Mike Holmes also uses a minibus to pick up members from their homes and drive them to the club, making it easy for them to get there.

The club has two other helpers who run raffles and make refreshments for the members and sometimes borrows another driver from CVS for its outings.

On December 18 club members celebrated Christmas with a party, when songs and Christmas carols were performed by an organist and singer and a raffle was held.

Trips planned for 2004 include a visit to the Royal National Institute of the Blind resource centre in Hereford, where the members can buy special equipment. Speakers from Talking Books and the County Air Ambulance will entertain the club next year.