AS Red Nose Day returns and local fundraisers gear up for weird and wonderful cash-raising antics in the name of charity, organisers at Comic Relief announced a new £50,000 fund to support community groups across Devon.

Red Nose Day community cash grants of £500 to £1,000 are available to small organisations across Devon, Cornwall and the Channel Isles that are doing great work to help local people living tough lives. Applications are open now, with Devon and Cornwall Community Foundations working with Comic Relief to get the cash to the groups that need it most. Interested groups can apply by going to http://www.devoncf.com/apply-for-a-grant/red-nose-day-community-cash">www.devoncf.com/apply-for-a-grant/red-nose-day-community-cash

Local group, the Tavistock Specials FC, benefited from a community cash grant last time around. Welfare worker and club referee, Allen Lewis, whose son is autistic, set up the club after a friend of his son's was refused permission to play with a mainstream club because of his additional needs.

Allen, who has been awarded an FA 150 award for his contribution to grassroots football, said: 'We are all about building self-esteem and a number of our members have worked their way up to become coaches. We really believe in our members' abilities.'

A £1,000 grant from Comic Relief has helped the club pay for facility hire, transportation to disability matches as well as contributing to the cost of training courses for their coaches.

Allen added: 'We want our players to have the best training facilities and equipment, but this costs money. Our club relies entirely on volunteers so grants like the one we received from Comic Relief are vital for the successful running of the club.'

This year the public is being asked to make their faces funny for money for Red Nose Day on Friday, March 13. The charity is urging people across Devon to paint their faces, wear a Red Nose or grow a sponsored comb-over to raise life-changing cash for vulnerable people all over the UK and across Africa.

All the latest Red Nose Day news and fundraising ideas are available from http://www.rednoseday.com">www.rednoseday.com