Sports and community groups in the Bradford district were celebrating today after being awarded lottery grants worth more than £75,000

The National Lottery's Awards for All programme gives groups the chance to improve their communities with money for sports, arts, heritage and other community activities.

The Parents Together Group in Keighley, which helps boys aged between eight and 12 with issues like personal development and education, received £5,000. The cash will help fund the running of its new youth club, paying for room hire, volunteers' travel expenses, health activities and facilities.

The club aims to help youngsters learn new social and recreational skills and to curb anti-social behaviour and racism in the area.

It opens three evenings a week in the Asian Women & Girls Social Centre in St Paul's Road and regularly attracts 55 young people.

Shabana Sarwar, an organiser said: "During the club's opening times, there is no trouble in the area. You wonder where those 55 would be if the club wasn't here."

The boys complete various accredited, six-week courses and receive a certificate to put in a portfolio built up over the year. They then choose an activity as a reward for their hard work.

Ms Sarwar said she was delighted with the results.

"They are teaching themselves to solve problems with their own ideas," she said.

The group is building towards a residential trip for the end of the year.

The Maroons Youth Basketball Club in West Bowling, Bradford, also received £5,000.

It is part of an after-school outreach youth project for children. The name represents Caribbean colours, although they have players from many backgrounds including Afghanis and Chinese.

Organiser Ochieng Ogol said: "It's going to go a long way to helping us get equipment and attracting more people to come along."

The team trains one day a week at West Bowling People's Partnership sports centre in Park Side Road.

With increasing numbers and only one training night, the money will also pay for an extra weekly session and help give specific training for different groups - including girls - and enable more teams to be formed.

"It's a big drawback to try to fit everyone in in just one session," Mr Ogol said.