It will help pay for two community centres in Leicestershire, and improve the services of Lincolnshire's voluntary organisations.

The cash will also help set up a "phone buddy" support for older and isolated people in Derbyshire.

And a grant for Notts YMCA will help build a learning and community centre in the Titchfield area of Mansfield.

GRANTS OF MORE THAN �100,000 Chaos Enterprises (Leicester) �300,000 Lincoln Womens Aid, �201,625 Nettleton Village Hall & Recreation Ground �185,470 St Wilfrid's Community Centre, Coalville �185,000 Memorial Park Trust �164,129 Carers Federation Nottingham and Notts �162,638 Church of England Children's Society �111,421 Boston District Council for Voluntary Service �108,978 South Derbyshire Citizens Advice Bureau �106,923 Disability Direct �104,883

A �201,625 grant to Lincoln Women's Aid will expand the work of its centre in Grantham.

The centre, offering advice and support to women in South Kesteven, will expand from two to five days a week.

There will also be an outreach service to rural areas, and a service to help young people who have experienced domestic violence.

Claire Morrison, finance worker, said: "The expansion of our service in the Grantham area will make an enormous difference to the lives of women and children who have experienced domestic violence."

Chaos Enterprises Limited, Leicester an organisation created by the community, has received �300,000 to build a community centre on the Greenacres site in the north of the city.

GRANTS OF LESS THAN �100,000 Nottinghamshire YMCA �91,821 Women's Aid Advice Centre, Nottingham �91,423 Derbyshire Coalition for Inclusive Living �89,303 Amber Valley Council For Voluntary Service �68,077 Corby Association for Mental Health �65,250 Hucknall and District Voluntary Sector Partnership �59,520 Erewash Citizens Advice Bureau �50, 697 Leicestershire Leicester and Rutland Headway �49,541 Friary Drop-In Limited �49,338 Ketton Guides and Scouts Supporters Association �43,000 Monyash Playing Field Association �34,546 Sherwood Community Association �34,344 Heanor Parish Church Salcare �27,547 Derbyshire Dales Careline �26,254

Project manager Mark Mizzen said: "This is an area of high deprivation following the decline of the hosiery and knitwear industries.

"Our main function is the relief of poverty through social, economic and environmental improvement, and this grant for the Greenacres development will enable the whole community to benefit, including neighbouring charitable organisations."

A �68,077 award to Amber Valley Council for Voluntary Services will help develop services to older people.

Director Lynn Allison said: "As an organisation that works in partnership with a lot of agencies, we have managed to get funds to provide services for families and young children.

"However, we have been very aware of the gap in our service for older people and we can now fill that gap."

Nottingham YMCA research and development manager Paul Naylor said: "We are really delighted with the funding and support we have received from the Big Lottery Fund.

"This is a much needed project for people who have been hard hit by the closing of the mining and textile industries."