A COUNSELLING service, a children’s charity and a group helping patients with brain injuries are three of 19 organisations in North Somerset set to receive a cash boost from the NHS.

NHS North Somerset has teamed up with the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)- which will replace it in the spring - to reward organisations who deliver vital health services to the community.

Local groups were asked to put forward a case to receive funding grants and 19 have been selected to receive a share of the £110,000 pot.

The charitable groups involve various sectors of the health sector and include Vision North Somerset and Wellspring Counselling in Nailsea.

Another to benefit is Headway, a charity which supports people who have suffered a traumatic brain injury, which will receive just more than £2,100.

This will be used to buy equipment including iPad tablet computers and Wii games consoles for clients to use during sessions at its Clevedon outpost. It operates from the town council offices in Old Street every Monday, running activities and providing guidance to its clients.

Chief executive Kate Croucher said: “iPads for people with sensory impairment are great as they can use them for so many different activities.”

Springboard Opportunity Group, which runs specialist play sessions for children aged under five with additional needs from its bases in Clevedon and Weston, will receive £3,910 to help improve its ICT facilities for its playroom and toy library as well as for providing training.

Promotions officer Gareth Powell said: “We are extremely pleased with this grant, which we will be using to improve our ICT resources in the playroom, enabling us to enhance the services we offer to parents, carers and other interested organisations, and to demonstrate our commitment to providing high quality and effective services.”

NHS North Somerset’s local director Jeanette George said: “We are delighted to have been able to help some of them fund some much-needed capital projects which will make things better for the people they support or help volunteers do their jobs easier.”

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