CENTRAL Arthritis Self Help is calling on people to vote so it can be in with a chance of winning funding in the People's Projects.

The community group – which helps people in Stirling, Grangemouth, Airth and Denny – needs funding to improve the lives of those with arthritis and chronic pain disorder.

The Big Lottery Fund, STV and The National Lottery have teamed up to give the UK public the chance to decide how £3 million of National Lottery funding will make a difference in their local area.

The three projects with the most public votes will receive grants of up to £50,000 to help them develop their work even further to improve the lives of people in their communities.

Central Arthritis Self Help is calling on the viewers’ support, with the public voting online to decide who wins the prize.

On Monday, March 20 on STV, Central Arthritis Self Help will showcase their project, HUGS – Helping Us Gain through Self-help – at 2pm.

They hope to use the funds to assist the group expand and do more activities for more people with arthritis, improving their quality of life and making a real difference to families and communities.

Catherine Harris, committee member at Central Arthritis Self Help, said: "This is a great opportunity for local people to get behind our project and support HUGS.

"We plan to spend the money on a range of activities to help individuals with arthritis live more engaging and satisfied lives.

"This will include learning new skills such as craft and jewellery making, participating in hydrotherapy, gentle exercise and yoga classes, visiting places of interest that motivate and inspire individuals and attract more people to join the group.

"The number of people with arthritis is increasing all the time and our self-help group exists to overcome the barriers we face and help all members to have a higher quality of life.

"This money will go directly to this cause and help more people in our local community."

The project is one of five groups competing in STV east region for £50,000 of National Lottery funding in the People’s Projects competition.

Director for Scotland, Big Lottery Fund, Martin Cawley, said: "We are proud to support 12,000 projects every year and our National Lottery funding is used to run amazing projects led by local people.

"The People’s Projects is a chance for you to decide how National Lottery funding can benefit your local community, so make sure you have your say on who you think should win."

The People’s Projects is an opportunity to celebrate some of the incredible projects the Big Lottery Fund has supported over the past year.

With 95 shortlisted across the UK, the public can now decide which groups should win up to £50,000 develop their project further.

Voting opens at 9am on Monday, March 20 at www.thepeoplesprojects.org.uk and closes at noon on Monday, April 3.

People can vote once per region and will need an email address to vote.

Those without email addresses can vote by post.

The address is FREEPOST THE PEOPLE’S PROJECTS – must be in capitals.