A gymnasticS class and the teaching of traditional Zimbabwean music, are among 39 Oxfordshire projects to benefit from almost £114,000 in National Lottery cash.

The grants will see cash pour into a wide range of programmes across the county, and give a boost to schools, organisations, museums, sports clubs and playgroups.

The money, from the Awards for All scheme, will help small, community-based groups buy equipment, train volunteers, run events and recruit members.

Among the groups to benefit are: the Kuridza Mbira group, in east Oxford, which will receive £5,000 to teach an African musical instrument, mbira, to adults and children; Charlbury Cricket Club, which will get more than £3,000 to train women and young players; and the Cherwell School in Marston Ferry Road, Oxford, which will receive £5,000 to provide up after school sports, including rhythmic gymnastics for girls.

In the county, Bloxham Village Museum, near Banbury, will get £850 to conserve and display an old charcoal drawing of the Yalta Conference at the end of the Second World War, which was passed to the museum by an army officer.

Spokesman for Kuridza Mbira, Tshionisai Mawema, who lives in Magdalen Road, east Oxford, welcomed the cash boost to fund teaching of the mbira -- a traditional African 'thumb piano', made of metal strips.

He said: "The mbira is an ancient instrument from Zimbabwe which makes a very soothing and hypnotic sound."

Phil Stevens, Awards for All senior awards officer in the south east, said: "We are delighted to be supporting the work of these small groups that provide enjoyment, support, information and development opportunities."