Two community facilities in North West Leicestershire have benefited from district council grants totalling £803.

Ashby Baptist Church and Measham Museum have been handed money as part of North West Leicestershire District Council's small grants scheme, which supports community projects with funding of up to £500.

Measham Museum, on the High Street in the village, has been handed £303 to invest in a software and system update for its computer systems.

The museum is home to an array of artefacts and archive of photographs, which can now be viewed using the software without visitors having to handle the items and risk damaging them.

Ashby Baptist Church received a grant of £500, the maximum allowance from the scheme.

The church, in Brook Street, Ashby, has used the money to redevelop the coffee lounge and front entrance of the building. A new flexible portioning system has been installed in the entrance to allow for better use of space.

Councillor Alison Smith MBE, the deputy leader and portfolio holder for community services at North West Leicestershire District Council said small grants were crucial to ensure that services continue to be accessible and useful in the area.

Councillor Smith said: "It is great to see people taking advantage of our grants and using the money to provide better facilities and activities for young and old.

"We recognise the invaluable role community groups play in our towns and villages, and we very deliberately look to support their efforts through these grants.

"If your North West Leicestershire community group is in need of some financial support, head to our website and see if you qualify for a grant."

The small grant scheme was set up to help projects and groups in the area get crucial funding. This can be used for newly setup projects or towards new pieces of equipment.

Anybody seeking further information on the scheme can visit the district council website online at www.nwleics.gov.uk/grants or by contacting julie.summerton@nwleicestershire.gov.uk .