TENS of thousands of pounds have been shared among five Colchester charities and voluntary organisations.

The Essex Millennium Fund and the Essex County Council Chairman’s Fund have made several groups richer with more than £75,000 dished out at a ceremony hosted by council chairman John Aldridge.

Re-cycle and We Walk The Line CIC both received £4,000 while the Daws Hall Trust was gifted £4,500 and Signpost Limited £5,000 from the Essex Millennium Fund.

The Colchester Chinese Culture Society was awarded £3,000 from the Chairman's Fund to bring Chinese cultural puppetry workshops and performance to young children in Colchester, Tendring and Harlow.

Society chairman Simone Xue said: “This is a fun and unique way for the children to learn new skills and increase their understanding of different cultures and the need for mutual respect."

Re-Cycle, a bicycle recycling charity taking unwanted bikes to Africa, want to expand their work with volunteers.

Managing director, Vince Langdon-Morris, said: "Our volunteers come from all walks of life, backgrounds and ages.

"We host a number of young people, who are often accompanied by their carer and they receive training on how to assess, prepare and pack bicycles for shipment.

“This funding boost will help us to further expand our volunteer programme.”

Both Daws Hall Trust in Bures and We Walk the Line CIC support young people.

The latter works with at-risk youth and those who are homeless to gain work.

The £4,000 grant will employ a mentor to oversee the organisation's café project inside Firstsite.

Both sets of funding have now been combined and renamed the Essex Fund but will continue to be managed by the independent charitable trust, Essex Community Foundation.

For information about how to apply for a grant, click here or call the grants team on 01245 356018.