A HANDFUL of small community organisations in West Devon received an early Christmas present this week in the form of cash from the Millennium Festival Awards for All fund.

The awards will help finance a variety of arts, charities, sports, heritage and Millennium activities in the South Wet region throughout the year 2000.

Lewdown Cricket Club received the largest sum — £4,889 which will go towards additional equipment having recently formed a junior team.

Bere Ferrers Villagers Group have got £4,113 to be used to develop a wetland habitat and build a five-a-side football pitch as part of a larger project to upgrade the village's games field.

Another sports organisation, Chillaton Football Club was given £2,576 to upgrade facilities to provide shower and changing facilities for visiting clubs and their own members and players.

A plan to erect boundary stones by Brentor Parish Council to mark the Millennium has been backed to the tune of £453. The parish council will decorate the stones and then carry out the old tradition of beating the bounds. The event will culminate in a community celebration and picnic.

The scheme is part of the Millennium Festival which is supported by Coca Cola. The awards range from £500 to £5,000 and are made possible by a £40 million National Lottery programme jointly run by the Arts Council for England, the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Millennium Commission, the National Lottery Charities Board and Sport England.

Kate Sclater, senior awards officer for the South West, said: 'The Millennium Festival Award for All is funding events and activities that are being planned by local communities throughout the region.

'These activities will touch every part of the South West throughout 2000 ensuring everyone can take part in and enjoy Millennium celebrations and mark the Millennium in their local communities during this momentous year.'