Eighteen community groups are to share in a cash windfall of more than £64,000.

Schools, charities, arts projects and sports associations from East Sussex are among the groups set to receive grants from Awards for All.

Brighton Hove and District School's Rugby will receive £4,155 to set up after-school clubs at eight schools and Newhaven Volunteer Bureau will get £3,635 to encourage more people to get involved in voluntary work.

Brighton and Hove Unwaged Advice and Rights Centre will receive £5,000 to provide a welfare rights and advice service; Carlton Hill Primary School, Brighton, receives £4,001 and Middle Street Primary, Brighton, gets £3,405 to set up after-school basketball clubs; and the Wealden-based Stone Cross Mill Trust receives £5,000 to provide a toilet for the disabled at the Grade 2 listed mill.

The Forest Row Jubilee Festival Organisation has secured £4,988 to hold a three-day festival in the grounds of Kidbrooke Mansions. Ditchling Choral Society get £5,000 to work with children from the East Brighton College of Media Arts in vocal and dance workshops, leading to a public performance.

Other Brighton and Hove groups to benefit are Laburnum Grove Tenants Association, £578; Sussex Philharmonic Chorus, £2,390; Sussex Thunder Youth American Football Club, £5,000; The Circus Project, £3,410; and The Great Little Theatre Company, £2,785.

The remaining recipients are Hastings Country District Under-Fives Association, £5,000; Sandown Primary School, Hastings, £4,507; Isfield Pre-School, £1,790; Rother-based Brighton Computer Club, £2,700; and Horam Community Pre-School, Wealden, £899.

Awards for All funds projects that enable people to take part in art, sport, heritage and community activities, as well as projects that promote education and the environment.

The funding is designed for small groups, which can apply for up to £5,000.

Throughout 2002, the Awards will aim to support jubilee projects.

For details, call 01483 462943 or 0845 6002040 for an application form.