SO far this year, Worcestershire County Council's Changing Futures Fund has received 181 applications from a range of community groups.

Changing Futures was set up to support the voluntary and community sector to develop strong, sustainable organisations and a special fund of £750,000 was set aside in 2012 to deliver a range of targeted support packages.

These include areas such as human resources, financial planning, marketing, start-up advice and new ways of working.

Approachable Parenting, a community interest company specialising in running workshops for Muslim parents, was one of 60 organisations to receive the fund-raising package.

Kathleen Roche-Nagi, of Approachable Parenting, said: "The package offered helped us to explore ways to generate an income and develop as an organisation."

Councillor Lucy Hodgson, Cabinet Member for Localism and Communities, said: "As part of our aims to make Worcestershire a stronger county, we need to support enterprises such as Approachable Parenting and the Changing Futures Fund has certainly done this.

"I would encourage any other people wishing to set up voluntary and community sector group to see what the fund can offer them as there is still plenty of support available from the fund."

For details visit worcestershire.gov.uk/voluntary and follow the links for the Changing Futures Fund or call Suzy James on 01905 728650.