VOLUNTARY groups are to benefit from more than a quarter of a million pounds thanks to health bosses.

NHS North East Essex has earmarked £259,000 for organisations that tackle health inequalities, improve access to sexual and mental health services and look after the needs of children and young people.

Bids have been approved for groups such as the Ministry of Parenting, which received £12,500 to provide parenting programmes. Colchester and Tendring Women’s Refuge received £18,198 to provide an additional outreach worker for its new resource centre A grant of £20,000 went to the Stroke Association for a communication support service, and Colchester Youth Enquiry Service received more than £30,000 to provide additional counselling for young people and to extend its service into Tendring.

NHS North East Essex director of public health, Mike Gogarty, said: “Services provided by the voluntary sector are easy to access and usually address gaps in statutory provision. As such, they provide a very valuable service to the local community.

“We received 35 applications for funding and, though not all were successful in meeting our criteria, we wish all these organisations the very best with the excellent services they provide.

“We now spend around £1.3million a year in the voluntary sector.”