COMMUNITY groups across Tendring will be given up to £48,000 to help them get through the Covid-19 pandemic.

Tendring Council said the extra cash is being drawn from the Tendring Community Fund, with each councillor in the district being allocated £1,000 to give out as they wish.

Money can be given to community groups, charities or other non-profit organisations helping people around the district during the pandemic.

The initiative was first carried out last year.

Neil Stock, council leader, said community groups had been at the heart of the response to the pandemic.

“In Tendring we have many really important groups who have been a tremendous support to our communities during Covid-19; many groups struggling themselves but still helping our residents,” Cllr Stock said.

“Many councillors have told me how important the first tranche of funding had been for the survival of groups, and a huge well done goes to them for this vital work.

“As a new lockdown has been announced it is appropriate we give councillors an allowance of a further £1,000 to support groups in relation to Covid-related activities.”

Councillors’ allocations can be given to a single group or split between several organisations, and is not ring-fenced to their ward.

In the previous round of funding groups given cash included Tendring Eldercare, Salvation Army and Harwich Teen Talk.