SIX Craven groups are in the money thanks Millennium Festival Awards for All grants, presented to clubs and charities working to improve their local communities.

Skipton and Craven Action for Disability was awarded £3,750 to help the group make a photographic record of local events to celebrate the millennium.

The 12-strong photography group has already begun its project by taking pictures of the work done on the millennium path at Burnsall and the kite workshops held across the district recently.

The team is meeting with Craven District Council's art development officer Lorraine Greenald to decide which other events and features need to be documented. One of these will probably be Skipton's Millennium Walk.

All the photos will be collated into an exhibition, which should be open from next Easter. Group chairman Edna Birtwhistle said she was pleased with the grant as it had been more than they were expecting.

Other groups benefiting from grants include Thornton-in-Craven Village Millennium Committee, which received £3,800. The group will use its money to hold history workshops, produce information for the parish map, collate a photographic record of village history and to create a snapshot of village life in 2000.

Stainforth History Group was awarded £3,213 to publish a written history of Stainforth, Settle and North Yorkshire. The books will be distributed free of charge to visitors and local residents.

The organisers of Bentham News, a free, local monthly newsletter, were given £1,721 to purchase recording equipment to produce tapes of the newsletter for people with visual impairments.

Play equipment will be bought by Low Bentham Playgroup to help children learn through play in a safe environment. The group was awarded £1,150.

A further £1,561 was granted to Oscars Kids Club in Settle which provides after school and holiday playschemes for children attending Settle and Giggleswick Primary Schools. It will be used to purchase computer equipment, a portable TV and video and a digital camera.

Awards for All will continue until at least April 2002. For an application pack call 0845 6002040.