Sports activities for women from ethnic minority communities in Oxford will benefit from an £89,000 Sport England grant.

The money will go to the Leys Linx Partnership, which supports community initiatives in Blackbird Leys and Greater Leys.

Coaching in basketball, netball and five-a-side football will be provided at the Blackbird Leisure Centre, in Pegasus Road, along with free creche facilities.

The sports sessions will add to the programme of education that LLP co-ordinates for women, which includes assertiveness training, committee skills and public speaking.

Project community development officer Mags Nicolson said: "Women from ethnic minority communities are not taking part in sport for lots of reasons, such as lack of opportunities and cultural barriers.

"We will be working hard to ensure they gain the benefits and enjoyment sport can offer."

LLP is funded by the Government's single regeneration budget and works alongside the Unity Project -- part of the Oxford Women's Training Scheme -- Oxfordshire County Council's youth service and the Oxford College of Further Education.

These groups are contributing £60,000 worth of services to support LLP's sports initiative.

Ms Nicolson said: "We hope there will be a core group of 15 women taking part and that they will become mentors for other women in coming years."

She added: "I have always found Blackbird Leys and Greater Leys a very inspiring community to work with.

"The people certainly can't be accused of apathy. There's no shortage of people wanting to get involved or express an opinion.

"Like all big housing estates it does have its social problems but people really do want to make a difference and that's heart-warming.

"To enable people to have the training to be able to improve their own community is very important."

A spokesman for Sport England, which distributes National Lottery funds, said the £89,000 grant was expected to make a "tremendous difference locally".

The funds will be made available from April.