CHARITIES and voluntary groups in Waltham Forest will be helped through the recession by a £396,000 Big Lottery fund.

Voluntary Action Waltham Forest (VAWF) will lead a four-year project to provide new support services to local community groups using the funding.

This will include offering practical help that can lead to access to shared offices and facilities such as photocopying, printing and buying goods and services such as training in bulk.

Enrique Saenz-de-Sicilia, director of Voluntary Action Waltham Forest said: "We will also be able to support groups who would like to achieve a quality accreditation mark which, in turn, will support their funding applications and help them to prepare for tendering and contracts."

The project will include funding for a new website, which will allow organisations in Waltham Forest to network with each other using online technology.

VAWF currently provides a range of other services including fundraising advice, organisational development support, help in accountancy and financial management and training courses for voluntary and community groups in the borough - most of which is free for Voluntary Action’s members.