More than £267,000 of National Lottery funding was invested into Reigate last year.

Figures released by the National Lottery have shown that across the Reigate area, 14 grants were awarded, providing a vital cash boost to local arts, sport and heritage and community groups helping the area’s most vulnerable people. Grants last year included £10,000 to Woodfield School in Merstham, to install a range of outdoor gym equipment on their school playground, £9,175 to SAVVY Theatre Company Limited, to deliver a community programme aimed at challenging prejudices toward people with learning disabilities, and £8,168 to Home-Start Epsom, Ewell and Banstead, to develop the training they provide for local volunteers by providing courses accredited through the Open College Network.

Now these projects, and any organisation which has received Lottery funding, have a chance to gain national recognition for their work as the National Lottery Awards 2014 open for entries.

John Barrowman, presenter of last year’s National Lottery Awards show, said: “National Lottery players raise £33 million every week for a wide range of projects which make a life-changing difference to local communities.”

He said: “The Awards are a great way of celebrating their work and the unsung heroes, helping people with National Lottery funding.

“Everyone in Reigate who plays the National Lottery should be proud of the difference their money is making in the local community. “If you know of a Lottery-funded organisation that deserves to be nominated, we want to hear from you.”

The National Lottery Awards have seven categories, each reflecting an area of Lottery funding: sport, heritage, arts, environment, health, education and voluntary or charity.

The winners of The National Lottery Awards will receive a £2,000 cash prize and national recognition at an event to be broadcast on BBC One later this year.

People wanting to put forward a local project should visit the website at: www.nationallotteryawards.org.uk Entries must be received by midnight on Wednesday, March 12.