Funding has been approved to help community groups, voluntary organistations and people looking for work.

The decision was made last night at a meeting of Redbridge Council's cabinet.

It was agreed that £142,702 would be awarded to community groups as part of the Redbridge Community Fund Awards, a fund set up to help community initiatives in health, wellbeing and the environment.

Projects set to benefit include the Empress Avenue Residents' Association in Aldersbrook for their allotment project and Community Healthcare Innovations in Eastwood Close, South Woodford for their Growing Kids allotment.

The remainder of the £200,000 in the fund is being set aside for next year's Community Fund projects.

It was also agreed that £200,000 will be made available to help people looking for work gain support.

The new project will support work already being done through the Work Redbridge partnerhsip.

The project will begin in June and will run for two years by volunteers provided through the London Council's European Social Fund (ESF) programme.

It will provide support for 145 people, with the aim of getting at least half of them into sustainable employment.

The £200,000 provided by the cabinet will be matched with money provided to Redbridge from the ESF.

The £200,000 has come from money allocated to employment and training through agreements with developers and additional £41,000 will be used to continue the council's apprenticeship programme.