Rural residents are being encouraged to vote for local community projects that could receive up to £5000 in funding.

The money is being made available by the Calor Rural Community Fund, which helps community groups gain funding for projects that will improve local life.

With five grants of £5,000, six of £2,500 and a further ten £1,000 grants up for grabs, this year’s Fund encompasses a range of applications.

They include for community centres, village halls and sporting venues, as well as initiatives to support local children and the elderly.

Applications are now closed, but the approved projects need as many community supporters as possible to cast their vote.

Projects with most votes from each funding category will become finalists, who will then be reviewed by a panel of independent judges to decide which receive the funding.

Anyone who lives in the UK and registers on the Calor Rural Community Fund website can vote – either for a local project or for one further afield.

Participants get 10 votes, which can be use at any time during the voting phase of the competition. Votes can be spread around or used to support one project – it’s your choice.

Once you’ve registered on the Calor Rural Community Fund website, all you need to do is click on the ‘Vote’ button on any project you want to support.

Votes must be cast before 29 June 2018 when the voting stage closes.

For further information and to register to vote, visit www.calor.co.uk/communityfund.