TWO North Yorkshire community groups have secured grants from the Big Lottery Award.

The initiative provides support to local projects and organisations, and the latest round of funding will benefit Easingwold Methodist Church and Appleton-le-Street Parish Hall.

The money for the church will be used to replace presentation equipment and blinds to encourage more groups to use it as a community facility.

In Appleton-le-Street, the grant will go towards improving the parish hall kitchen, including insulating walls and installing new kitchen units.

Thirsk and Malton MP Anne McIntosh, whose constituency includes both areas, said: “It is a great achievement for these projects and will provide many opportunities for the future.

“Without the awards, many local projects would not occur and local communities would lose out.”