TWO companies have won thousands of pounds of European funding to help them expand.

Malvern's Essential Dressings and The Helping Hand Company, based in Ledbury, have benefited from £32,000 from the Prograta Fund, administered by Malvern Hills Science Park.

Pre-market, start-up and established small businesses in rural Herefordshire and Worcestershire are eligible to apply for grants of up to £25,000 to help them expand. A total of £900,000 will be handed out over the next three years.

Essential Dressings was set up as a separate company in October after customers at White Season restaurant, Church Street, asked if they could buy its salad dressings.

The £7,000 grant awarded to the firm will pay for bottling machines, although the product will continue to be hand-made. It will also help pay for computer equipment and promotional leaflets.

Director Anne Capper said she would recommend any other eligible business to apply for the funding. "The whole process has been very straightforward, nothing complicated," she said.

The Helping Hand Company specialises in supplying equipment to elderly and disabled people, and also manufactures litter-pickers.

It has been based in Ledbury for 15 years, and will use the £25,000 award to buy tailor-made computer software.

This will allow customers to specify exactly what they want from the company, and will integrate with NHS electronic ordering systems set to come online in the near future.