PROJECTS are to receive National Lottery funding for Valentine’s Day.

After applying for a part of the £2 million national pot, 14 projects across Brighton will be receiving money to help with their work.

Brighton Soup received £1,000 to run community events to bring people together with the aim of funding and supporting others.

Will Anjos, from the project, said: “These events will not only give people the opportunities to develop or continue their fantastic local projects, but also bring residents together for an intergenerational fun night out, all centred around people doing good.

“Thanks to this National Lottery funding, we can continue our run of successful events, and can’t wait to hear people’s ideas for improving the lives of people in their local community.”

Another project in Brighton to receive a grant through The National Lottery’s special 25th birthday fund is Pegasus Puppetry and Arts, an arts group that brings people together through the magic of puppetry, music, art and storytelling.

The group received £600 to develop a puppet show aimed at young people with learning disabilities and young refugees on the theme of friendship and anti-bullying.

The funding will be used to run three performances of the show, followed by optional workshops that will give the groups the opportunity to develop their own stories.

The project aims to promote social cohesion, reduce inequality and discrimination, and develop mutual understanding through puppetry workshops, music and storytelling.

Other Brighton-based charities and groups to receive a grant through this special fund include Brighton Fringe, Gaydio Brighton, Brighton Permaculture Trust and the Valance Community Centre.

Jon Eastwood, senior head of regional funding, said: “It’s fantastic to see people’s love for their communities inspiring them to use National Lottery funding to make great things happen – we’ve been blown away by all the great ideas.

“#CelebrateNationalLottery25 is supporting a wide variety of projects across the UK this year, all bringing people together to show the huge impact that can come from small ideas.”

Last year the National Lottery awarded over half a billion pounds of funding to communities across the UK.

It supported more than 12,000 projects to turn their ideas into reality.