A GROUP for families in Okehampton and the surrounding area has been given a £4,400 boost with a grant to hold fun family learning events.

Okehampton Family Learning Group has received an Awards for All grant to hold a family learning event for families with children aged 5-11 living in Okehampton or its surrounding area in October. The group is also planning to hold a second event for the older age group, 11-16.

Spokesperson Marilyn Tucker said the group were delighted to have received the Awards For All grant, which had also been match funded by the Okehampton Educational Foundation.

Mrs Tucker said the family learning events would include a ?range of activities, including arts, sports and library activities for parents and their children to do together.?

The action group has been running for the last four years but this is the first such whole day family learning event it has been able to run.

Mrs Tucker also appealed for anyone with any ideas for the sort of activities for a family learning day for secondary school age youngsters to contact her on 01837 53754.

Okehampton Family Learning Action Group is one of 215 voluntary groups and organisations in the South West which were successful in the latest round of Awards for All grants.

Senior awards officer, Raymond Moore, said: ?I know that these Lottery grants, although small, make an enormous difference to a wide range of groups and projects that are working for the benefit of their local communities.?

Mr Moore added: ?I am delighted in this round of awards that we have been able to make grants totalling more than £25,000 to War Veterans groups. These awards range from a study weekend in Dorset looking at the role of the county in the run up to D-Day to helping veterans? groups with reunions and visits to Second World War battle sites.?

?I would also like veterans and their families to know there is more Lottery funding available under a programme called Heroes Return, which is being funded by the New Opportunities Fund, one of our partners in the Awards for All scheme.?

Mr Moore said anyone who wanted to find out more about the various Lottery funding possibilities that are available for veterans? groups and individuals should ring the FREE helpline on 0800 1692277.

He added: ?Although the main focus of these war veterans? grants this year will centre around the D-Day commemorations in June, we recognise that veterans may wish to revisit sites other than those in Normandy. There will be various funding opportunities for them as far ahead as 2005.

?There is also a scheme called ?Their past, Your future? aimed at schools and schoolchildren to help them better understand the importance of the World Wars and other conflicts in this country?s history.?

Groups can still apply to Awards for All, they can ring 0845 6002040 for a pack or visit the website at http://www.awardsforall.org.uk">www.awardsforall.org.uk