Today the Big EDP Lottery Fund campaign reaches a decisive stage – as the 22 community groups bidding for a share of its £250,000 pot are revealed.

Eastern Daily Press: EDP Big Lottery Fund shortlist - Childrens Food Trust.EDP Big Lottery Fund shortlist - Childrens Food Trust. (Image: Archant)

Just under 100 community groups had applied for funding from the Big EDP Lottery Fund – but the tough decisions to decide on a shortlist for that quarter of a million pounds have now been made.

Eastern Daily Press: EDP Big Lottery Fund shortlist - CSV – RSVP Norfolk.EDP Big Lottery Fund shortlist - CSV – RSVP Norfolk. (Image: Archant)

The next stage is for the readers of the EDP, who will soon be given the power to help decide which of the final 22 they think most deserve the funding through a public vote.

Eastern Daily Press: EDP Big Lottery Fund shortlist - East Norwich Youth Project.EDP Big Lottery Fund shortlist - East Norwich Youth Project. (Image: Archant)

Community groups were invited to bid for a grant of between £10,000 and £30,000, explaining how they would use the money to benefit their area.

Eastern Daily Press: From left, back, Matt Pilkington from the UK Community Foundation, Brian Cape and Catherine Kimberley from the Big Lottery Fund, EDP editor Nigel Pickover and Jenny Bevan from the Norfolk Community Foundation; front, Graham Tuttle and Jo Maddocks, also from the Norfolk Community Foundation. Photo: David Freezer.From left, back, Matt Pilkington from the UK Community Foundation, Brian Cape and Catherine Kimberley from the Big Lottery Fund, EDP editor Nigel Pickover and Jenny Bevan from the Norfolk Community Foundation; front, Graham Tuttle and Jo Maddocks, also from the Norfolk Community Foundation. Photo: David Freezer. (Image: Supplied)

Of the 99 groups to apply for a portion of the £250,000 being given away, there were 71 projects which met the criteria for the Big Lottery Fund's giveaway of National Lottery good-cause cash.

That 71 has now been whittled down to a final 22 of groups bidding to improve communities around Norfolk, north Suffolk and east Cambridgeshire.

The final 22 represent all areas of the EDP's readership, from The Ferry Project to the west in Wisbech across to Access Community Trust to the east in Lowestoft – and everything in between.

EDP editor Nigel Pickover said he was delighted to be able to give the readers of the EDP the chance to vote for funding that could make a big difference to where they live.

Mr Pickover said: 'It was a tough decision to decide on the final 22 but I think the shortlist excellently represents the hard work of community projects in our region.'

Here are the 22 groups to make the shortlist of the Big EDP Lottery Fund. Details of how to vote will be published in the EDP next week.

ACCESS COMMUNITY TRUST (Amount applied for, £28,120)

Formerly the Lowestoft Night Shelter, the charity was relaunched as Access Community Trust in April 2013. It hopes to develop its 'sewing a little happiness' programme for homeless and disadvantaged people.

AGE UK NORWICH (£10,000)

The Norwich branch of Age UK hope to provide activities to individuals at risk of isolation around the Norwich area.

BICYCLE LINKS CIC (£16,758)

Norwich community group hopes to offer young children and disadvantaged people a chance to learn new skills and to fix and recycle bikes.

BUILD (£13,700)

The Norwich-based charity provides social, leisure and learning opportunities to adults and young people across Norfolk who have sensory, physical or learning disabilities. It hopes to fund a new project, Farm to Fork, aimed at people with disabilities.

BUNGAY AND DISTRICT SPORTS ASSOCIATION (£20,840)

The Maltings Pavilion is home to Bungay Town FC, Bungay Cricket Club and Bungay Tennis Club. Application is to renovate the changing rooms and install an artificial cricket pitch.

CHILDREN'S FOOD TRUST (£29,800)

To give children and adults living on low incomes and in food poverty the skills, knowledge and confidence to cook and eat healthily on a limited budget.

COMMUNITY ACTION SUFFOLK (£26,415)

To deliver an IT project, a healthy living/cookery project and community outreach for older people in south Lowestoft.

CSV – RSVP NORFOLK (£17,878)

RSVP, the retired and senior volunteer programme, hopes to develop new 'knit and knatter' groups in other areas of Norfolk, and extend the other groups' activities, adding to the 1,200 people in Norfolk who already knit for charity.

EARLHAM SCOUT GROUP – GURNEY'S OWN (£20,000)

To replace the asbestos roof of Scout hut, off Wilberforce Road, which will then become a community hall for other groups to use and hire.

EAST NORWICH YOUTH PROJECT (£10,015)

To establish two new clubs in the Norwich area for children and young people.

ELSING MEMORIAL VILLAGE HALL (£24,369)

To provide a play area for the children of Elsing, a village to the east of Dereham.

FENLAND GYMNASTICS ACADEMY (£21,980)

To fund two posts for 12 months; community gymnastics coach and bilingual coaching assistant.

KINGFISHER AMATEUR BOXING CLUB (£15,030)

Great Yarmouth and Gorleston boxing club hopes to resurface the car park and pathway of its gym.

MUSICAL KEYS, NORWICH (£10,938)

To offer a selection of up to 30 workshops for young people special or additional needs in Norwich.

NELSON'S JOURNEY (£24,428)

Norfolk-wide bereaved children's charity, based in Thorpe St Andrew, hopes to introduce bereavement support groups for children.

NI CHEMA, NORWICH (£16,620)

The HIV prevention and sexual health promotion service for African and minority ethnic communities in Norfolk hopes to expand its current services and educate people on sexual health.

SERV NORFOLK BLOOD BIKES (£20,000)

To purchase an emergency service liveried motorcycle and a 4x4 car to ensure a vehicle is always available to routinely transport blood to the East Anglian Air Ambulance to enable them to become one of the first UK air ambulances outside London to carry blood on board their aircraft.

SUFFOLK ARTLINK (£10,761)

To support Phonic, a creative music project for young people in Lowestoft.

THE BASE COMMUNITY TRUST (£11,923)

Based in the Lakenham and Tuckswood areas of Norwich, The Base offers community projects such as drop-in sessions and youth clubs to young people.

THE FERRY PROJECT (£29,838)

Wisbech group behind Healthy Eating For All, a new cookery college for Fenland.

UPTON WITH FISHLEY PARISH COUNCIL (£10,000)

To purchase children's play equipment and adult outside exercise equipment for the Broads village, near Acle.

WELLS MALTINGS TRUST (£13,850)

To provide beach friendly wheelchairs to be hired to local people and visitors from the Tourist Information Centre.