SWINDON groups are being urged to apply for a share of a £4 million pot to help social inclusion and employability.

Working with the Swindon & Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership, the National Lottery has joined forces with the European Union to launch the funding scheme.

Now, voluntary, community and social enterprise groups in Swindon and across Wiltshire who help people back into training, work or volunteering, or who support socially excluded groups and help people most disadvantaged in the work place can apply for a share of the fund.

The money will not be made available in small grants and is an opportunity for groups to work together to developing and deliver a new initiative for the area.

If you want to know more, perhaps to join a bidding consortium or even to be a lead organisation, information will be available at a meeting in Swindon on Thursday, April 23, from 10am until 1pm.

It will take place at the Swindon Advice and Support Centre, in Sanford Street, and will give a raft of information on how to go about applying.

Attendance is free, but anyone interesting in attending should book in advance via www.communityfirst.org.uk/partnerships/building-better-opportunities, or email bbo@communityfirst.org.uk for more details.