IT will be a happy Christmas for community groups in and around Malvern thanks to the generosity of the local Lions Club.

For this year's festive grant scheme, Malvern Hills Lions has distributed a total of £780 to four worthy local organisations.

One was ARCOS (Association for Rehabilitation of Communication and Oral Skills) which has been given £180 to buy special pads for its therapists to use while treating patients.

Kay Coombes, founder of ARCOS said: " We're delighted. These pads are very useful to our therapists, and sometimes we have to get them specially made." The grant will buy three packs of pads.

Another lucky recipient was the First Colwall Scouts, who have been given £250 to finance a new cooker in their hut off Mill Lane.

Lynne Lee of the Scouts said: "We use the kitchen in the Scout hut for catering when functions are held there, but the Cubs also use it for cooking to get their chef's badge. The cooker we have doesn't work, so we're very grateful for this grant."

Cookery is also on the agenda for Welland Pre-School, which has been given £100 to but equipment for the kitchen at it's base in the new football club pavilion off Marlbank Road.

Manager Kathy Connah [correct] said: "This is fantastic news, and it will make a real difference because the children love to cook, and we'll be able to cook so many more things with the new equipment."

And the fourth recipient was Girl Guiding Malvern, which will get £250 to help fund members to attend a camp celebrating the centenary of Guiding.

£220 which was not allocated for a grant will be carried forward to the Lions Club's next round of grants at Easter.