ONCE again local groups in need of funding have been invited to apply for cash grants from Ilkley's Community Fund.

The fund was set up by the Ilkley Council for Voluntary Service (ICVS) charity, which has been helping local groups for many years.

Geoffrey Vere, of the ICVS, formerly known as Good Neighbours, said that applications would be considered to assist activities which would benefit the community.

Joint bids, by more than one group for the same project, will be considered as will the application for grants to supplement other sources of funding.

Mr Vere said that the administrators wanted to encourage new groups or groups which had not received grants previously from the fund to apply.

Organisations applying should be non-profit making and membership of the organisation should be open to all.

A ceiling of £200 will normally be placed on grants but this may be altered if the Trustees of the fund see fit.

Representatives of groups can get an application form by writing to the Ilkley Community Fund, 7 South Hawkesworth Street, Ilkley, LS29 9DX. The telephone number is (01943) 608345.

Rules of the fund state that an audited financial statement of the applying organisation should accompany the application where appropriate.

All money given to an organisation must be accounted for with full details of how the money was used. If this information is not provided, future applications may be put in jeopardy.

And groups which receive funding must be prepared to have the project publicised by the Trustees of the Community Fund to help them in their future work.