Charities in Ashby are being urged to apply for grants of up to £10,000 to tackle loneliness and isolation.

Western Power Distribution is calling on charities, councils and community groups to apply for the grants.

This is to provide much needed support for organisations in Ashby tackling vital issues around loneliness and isolation - the theme of this year's Mental Health Awareness Week which runs from 9-15 May.

Organisations can apply for funding to help support projects in this area until Sunday, April 24.

This is the latest round of grants from WPD's annual £1 million Community Matters Fund, which has already seen the energy distributor support more than 100 grassroots organisations with crucial fuel poverty grants.

WPD is looking to support and partner with community groups and organisations in Ashby to achieve positive change.

With loneliness and tackling social exclusion as the core topic, WPD is opening the doors to funding applications from all generational and diverse community groups and organisations.

To help guide applications, examples of the types of project the fund will consider supporting are:

• Digital skills and inclusion projects
• Social inclusion and connectedness projects
• Mental health interventions
• Employability skills
• Projects increasing community access to outside space
• Inter-generational support projects
• Befriending services
• Innovative solutions to combating loneliness.