Energy company Calor has announced the winners of its Rural Community Fund to help improve local life.

In total some 126 community projects applied for funding and 30 went through to the judging stage after receiving the highest number of public votes.

The fund aims to benefit rural projects in communities without mains gas.

Projects that were accepted were published on the community fund website for people to vote on and projects that received the most votes became finalists.

Finalist projects were then reviewed by our judging panel, who selected the winning projects in each funding category to be awarded funding.

There were nine eventual winners – including two winners of a £5000 award.

The 35th South West Cheshire Scout Centre will receive £5000 towards the provision of a heating and hot water system for their building in Wistaston, Crewe.

The Friends of Bude Sea Pool will receive £5000 towards the cost of play equipment for children and other members of their local community in Cornwall.

There were also two recipients of the £2,500 award.

Shutford village hall in Oxfordshire will receive £2,500 towards the cost of a new kitchen.

The village of 450 people has no shop or bus service and local people rely heavily on community involvement by using the building.

Meanwhile, local residents will receive £2,500 towards the cost of bringing a fibre broadband connection to Lapford, Devon.

Five projects were each awarded £1,000.

The Herts and Essex Community Farm will receive £1,000 to build a safe and well-run barbecue area so it can offer a better variety of food to visitors.

Volunteer first responders in the Bedfordshire village of Marston Moretaine will receive £1,000 towards a community first responder kit.

In North Yorkshire, Buckden Singers community choir in Upper Wharfdale will receive £1,000 towards the cost of a new stage piano.

The Diptford school library project in rural South Devon will receive £1,000 towards the cost of new books to refresh and expand the school library.

And £1,000 will also go towards the creation of a new park combining education and recreation for Kilmwick, in the East Riding of Yorkshire.