The pub company Hall & Woodhouse, which runs The Ness House in Shaldon, is offering grants of up to £4,000 to charities and voluntary organisations - and has extended the deadline for applications to May 17.

Its Community Chest awards are open to groups who make a difference to the lives of local residents, perhaps by helping elderly or disabled people, protecting the environment, or providing youth activities.

Applications are invited from organisations in all areas where the company operates – and it has six pubs in Devon, including the one in Shaldon. It also brews Badger Ale.

The original application deadline, May 7, has been extended for 10 days to give over-stretched organisations a bit of extra time.

Lucinda Gray, Company Relationship Manager and Next Generation Family Director, said: "We understand that the pandemic has inflicted new pressures and hurdles for the charity sector to overcome. We acknowledge that many teams are continuing to operate with reduced staff, and we feel it is imperative to provide extra support and time needed for applications to be submitted.

"As we enter the recovery phase of the pandemic and its various lockdowns, we are keen to hear from local charities and community groups that sit at the heart of their communities.

"No cause is too small and we want to reach those that will be relied on now more than ever as we return to some normality.

"In particular, we know that initiatives which boost mental health such as sports and youth clubs as well as village halls, community farms and extracurricular school activities, all have important roles to play as the government restrictions ease."

For more information, and to access a downloadable application form, click here.

The applications should be emailed to [email protected] by May 17 for consideration, and successful applicants will be told in September, with an awards event in October.