Trafford Council has awarded a total of £120,000 to projects working to reduce hate crime and improve health inequalities in some of the borough's most vulnerable groups. The funding has been distributed through the council's Advancing and Promoting Equality Voluntary Sector Grants Scheme.

Successful projects include: tackling homophobia in secondary schools; the development of a special needs park space; a disability activity network; a community worker for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans communities; a health and wellbeing project with black and minority ethnic communities; an on-line resource to increase hate crime reporting; a project to tackle diabetes with vulnerable groups, and a youth health champions project.

Executive Councillor Jonathan Coupe said: "This funding is in addition to the Neighbourhood Voluntary Sector Grants Scheme that was launched earlier this year and means that Trafford Council has launched a total of £320,000 worth of Voluntary Sector Grants in Trafford in 2012. This reaffirms not only our commitment to the community and voluntary sector but a commitment to improving the lives of some of our most vulnerable residents."

The Trafford Partnership's Diverse Communities Board, a group of Trafford residents and groups that support communities of interest and identity in Trafford, have worked with Trafford Council to produce the scheme and will continue to work with successful applicants to ensure the projects have the biggest impact possible and really make a difference to people's lives on the ground.