Community Chest boxes have been flying out of offices across the region. And more than 100 groups are already cutting and collecting the tokens printed in the back page of the EDP every day.

To kick off the first month of our campaign, in association with the Norfolk Community Foundation, we are giving away £15,000.

Grants between £250 and £2,500 are being given away, meaning that up to 60 community organisations have the opportunity to receive £250 to help transform their areas.

Injecting cash into projects throughout 2016, there is £100,000 up for grabs in total.

The five judges have the difficult job of choosing the beneficiaries.

One of those is Nigel Pickover, editor-in-chief of the Eastern Daily Press.

He said: 'Community Chest is a great way for communities to raise funds for great causes – and we have £100,000 to give away through the year.

'We've been delighted that so many collection boxes have already been picked up so that groups can get the 500 tokens they need to enter each month. Our tokens appear every day in the EDP, five on Saturdays and there's a 50 token golden ticket inside the rather splendid collection box!'

Other judges include Paddy Seligman, who has dedicated her life to volunteer work; Graham Tuttle, chief executive of the Norfolk Community Foundation; Archant circulation director Darron McLoughlin; and Julie James, whose husband is the Bishop of Norwich, the Rt Rev Graham James.

The Community Chest starter pack include posters, leaflets and a fantastic golden ticket, which is worth 50 tokens.

To pick up your starter pack and start collecting, simply drop into your local EDP office. You can choose from Norwich, Fakenham, Dereham, Cromer, Beccles, Yarmouth, Lowestoft, King's Lynn, Thetford and Diss.

To apply, all people need to do is fill in the short application form and collect 500 tokens in one month.

Already, local businesses, schools and GPs' surgeries are pooling tokens to help a local project.

Each month the tokens will change color and the ones to snip and save this month are red. Groups are welcome to apply every month throughout the year, so there are 12 opportunities to win overall.

For more information, rules and an entry form, visit www.edp24.co.uk/communitychest