Four Newham charities were awarded a combined grant of nearly �40,000 in the Health Lottery this week.

HealthLives, a community interest company, run the lottery weekly to raise money to distribute to organisations tackling health inequalities in the UK.

In Newham, �9,260 was given to the Salem Health Project to help them set up a judo club for 12 to 25 -year-olds from the Black African community; �9,510 went to Hibiscus Caribbean Elderly Association in Stratford and Forest Gate who run healthy activities to support isolated and vulnerable African and Caribbean elders; �9,770 was awarded to Newham and Essex Beagles Athletics Club to run three AthleFIT sessions, one faith-based, one workplace group, and one for the disabled; and Widows Care Worldwide were granted �9,562 to run weekly social and physical activities for older people in need.

Chris Lunn, director of HealthLives, said: “These projects are a fabulous example of how money raised by HealthLives lets our communities directly address their problems in different ways that will improve the lives of many people.”