Nearly £15,000 is to be shared out among 24 local good causes in the latest distribution of the Robin Hood Lottery Community Fund.

The Mayor of Mansfield, Andy Abrahams, said: “We managed to double the number of successful bids compared with last year.

“We have been able to direct the money towards such a variety of groups — the young, the old, education, sporting activities, theatre, entertainment, volunteers and community projects.

“The combination of the Robin Hood Lottery, the Mayor’s 500 Fund and our excellent partnership with Nottinghamshire Community Foundation means we are able to help the ever-increasing causes that the people of Mansfield and district are supporting.”

Groups can apply for funding at www.mansfield.gov.uk/robinhoodcommunityfund and the next round of applications can be made by local groups, charities and good causes until the end of July.

Bids can be made for grants of up to £2,000. They can be used for anything from one-off expenditure on buildings and equipment and things like staging performances, exhibitions and publications, to help with rent and room hire, office costs, utility bills, training, transport and employee salaries.

There is no limit on the number of times good causes can apply for a grant. Organisations that apply do not have to be registered with the lottery, but must be a not-for-profit group bringing benefit to the community. The bids are considered by a panel of council officers and the mayor.

With a top prize of £25,000, the Robin Hood Lottery currently has 458 supporters who buy about 816 tickets a week. From every £1 ticket sold, 40p goes into prize money and paying the lottery organiser, Gatherwell.

The remaining 60p goes to good causes — 10p into the community fund and an additional 50p if players nominate the fund as their chosen charity.

More than 90 good causes are registered with the lottery. A total of £54,291 has been paid out to good causes so far. To play, sign up at www.robinhoodlottery.co.uk

The successful applications were:
Age Concern Mansfield (£650) — to help fund two members of staff and contribute towards the running costs of three day centres in the district.
Sherwood Colliery Swimming Club (£650) — for equipment such as high-viz stewards jackets, whistles, speaker equipment and stop watches.
Portland Training College (£650) ­— towards a new minibus.
Friends of Yeoman Hill Park (£650) ­— towards raising four flower beds in the Mansfield Woodhouse park.
Our Centre (£580) ­— the centre provides an accessible community minibus service and voluntary car scheme to help vulnerable residents of Mansfield get to hospital appointments, day centres, shopping and social activities.
Jigsaw Support Scheme (£650) — specialises in supporting people with dementia, hoarding issues and other serious mental health conditions.
Sherwood Colliery Ability Counts FC (£500) — to help the disability football club expand and enable juniors to take part in the same activities as the adults.
Oak Tree Leisure Centre (£650) — towards a low-cost school holiday children’s activity scheme.
Remedi (£650) ­— Remedi is the UK’s largest provider of restorative services and organises crime payback schemes such as litter picking, community work and visits. Funding is required for projects planned for Mansfield, such as involving young people in a loneliness scheme with the elderly.
Sherwood Colliery Under-9s FC (£650) — towards a portable defibrillator to take to away games.
Asquith Primary School (£300) — to buy K’nex kits and contribute towards an after-school science club.
Double Impact Services (£650) — The charity supports people recovering from addiction, providing learning and volunteering opportunities and counselling. The money will help fund activities such as trips to the theatre, football matches and camping expeditions.
Styrn (£500) — the community interest company provides a weekly football league for people of all ages with mental health difficulties.
Think Children (£650) — supports disadvantaged youngsters in one-to-one sessions in primary schools to explore and release their feelings.
Forest Road Community Allotment (£500) — towards buying a shed, greenhouse and tools, and to clear a space. The scheme was set up to introduce children to nature and allow them to work with elderly residents to build a community spirit.
Arena Church Community (£650) — this organisation supports people in Mansfield who have issues of poverty, isolation, mental health, homelessness and unemployment.
Forest Town Community Council (£500) — towards this year’s Christmas lights and the switch-on event.
Frenbot Charity Football Match (£650) — raising money for the King’s Mill Toy Appeal and other causes.
Notts Women’s Runners (£630) — towards funding two qualified leaders to run the group and to buy equipment such as high-viz clothing and running lights.
Forest Singers (£650) — towards room hire, pianist and musical director fees for the non-profit making community choir.
Warsop Carnival Committee (£650) — to help fund road closure for this year’s Carnival Parade.
Sutton Community Help Centre (£650) — a registered hate crime centre that offers one-to-one sessions to support people who have experienced homophobia. It is based in Ashfield but is looking to locate to Mansfield.
Learning Ladder Childcare (£650) — towards replacing a laptop computer used by the not-for-profit childcare company in Mansfield, which provides affordable childcare and respite care for families caring for young people with additional needs or severe disabilities.
Mansfield Hospital Theatre Troupe (£500) — an amateur theatre group that has been going for 40 years this year and stages an annual pantomime at Mansfield Palace Theatre for local charities.