LEGACY funding from the London 2012 Olympics has been awarded to 25 ‘health and wellbeing’ projects across the county.

More than £300,000 has been handed out from the Health and Wellbeing Legacy Fund by Dorset County Council to groups including Ace Concern, Poole, the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and the Dorset Sports and Wellbeing Festival.

Successful bidders include Headway Dorset, which will use its £8,800 to run three acquired brain injury carers’ groups.

The charity’s chief executive Sue Mottram said: “The fund will enable both intensive intervention for carers in need of support and the development of wider social support networks that do not currently exist.

“Research has shown that the better family members and carers are able to cope with the situation, the better the individual with acquired brain injury will recover.”

The Coda Music Trust received £12,000 towards Dementia Notes, a programme of music workshops in East Dorset, Christchurch, Bournemouth and Poole for older people in residential care.

Phil Hallett, Coda chief executive, said: “The funds will enable Coda to reach hundreds of vulnerable older people, using music to increase social interaction, physical activity and improve communication, and to re-kindle self-identity through reminiscence.”

In total the fund – developed by the Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group and local authorities – will invest £700,000 in projects that improve the physical and mental health of people across Dorset, Bournemouth and Poole.

It is targeted in areas where health inequalities are most evident, and will prioritise projects that help vulnerable people or marginalised communities.

Dorset Council ‘s Christopher Scally, chair of the funding panel, said: “It’s great news that we are now able to provide grant funding that will help remind people of the superb 2012 Olympics and hopefully inspire them to get out there and do something.”

Recipients of grants of more than £10,000 included Bournemouth addiction charity Vita Nova, TEAM Bournemouth YMCA and ex-offenders charity the Footprints Project.

Two further rounds of funding are planned in December-January and June/July next year.

Find application forms at www.dorsetforyou/legacyfund or call Dave Franks on 01305 224855 or Chris Skinner on 01305 228580.