Community and voluntary organisations in the Thames Valley have been awarded more than £200,000 by the police commissioner's community fund.

£201,445 has been handed out in the first round of this years fund by Thames Valley police and crime commissioner Matthew Barber and chief constable Jason Hogg.

A total of 170 groups applied for more than £1.2 million of funding, with 36 organisations successful in securing sums ranging from £500 to £10,000.

Mr Barber said: "I’m really pleased to invest extra cash - taken from criminals by our hard-working police officers - putting it back into the fight against crime.

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"These groups know their communities, engage with local policing teams and work to protect people and address local concerns.

"It’s even better knowing we’re using money taken from criminals, to support projects that will really benefit the community.

“Communities will benefit from the funding in a number of ways including support to reduce re-offending, knife crime education in schools, as well as counselling and support for victims of crime.”

Mr Hogg added: "This grant funding will ensure community and voluntary organisations can continue to run projects that play an important role in preventing crime and protecting our communities.

“I look forward to meeting the successful applicants at the presentation event in Oxfordshire next month.”

The successful groups have been invited to a presentation event in Oxfordshire on March 11.