Energy company Calor has announced the winning projects that have received funding from the Calor Rural Community Fund.

The 2018 fund offers rural off-grid communities the chance to gain funding for projects that help to improve the quality of local life.

Projects supported could be anything from redecorating your community centre or village hall; to new equipment for youth clubs, sports teams or scout groups.

It makes grants of up to £5,000 available for projects that will provide an on-going service for rural residents and local communities.

Rural communities with projects off the mains gas grid can submit a project for funding.

The projects that receive the most votes on the fund website are shortlisted then reviewed by a panel of judges, who then select the winning projects for funding.

Five projects were each awarded £5000 from the 2018 Calor Rural Community Fund.

The most popular project, which received 15,058 votes, was to fund a new kitchen for the clubhouse at Ely Outdoor Sports Association in Cambridgeshire.

Educational projects to receive £5000 were the East Worlington School Garden Project (Devon) and the Spaxton School Outdoor Environmental Learning Area (Somerset).

Other projects to receive £5000 were the Dorchas Extension, a project to meet the needs of unpaid carers; and the Orkney Isles Music Instrument Bank – both in Scotland.

Six rural community projects have been awarded £2500 – in Buckinghamshire, Cornwall, Somerset, Highland, Kent and Devon.

A further 10 rural projects were awarded £1000.

A full list of winners is available here.