A COMMUNITY club giving youngsters in Port Glasgow the chance to play sports has benefited from a festive giveaway.

The Co-op in Dubbs Road recently played Santa Claus as staff handed over more than £10,000 worth of funds to deserving causes in the town.

Port Glasgow Juniors Community Sports Club, which runs inclusive football and netball teams, received £4,600.

Some of the players went along to the store to say a big thank you to everyone for their support.

The club is among a group of local organisations to receive awards in the latest round of funding.

Margaret Vize, who is secretary of the girls section, said: "It is an absolutely brilliant amount of money.

"This helps us in so many ways, with equipment and to help keep costs down."

The community club works with around 300 youngsters, with boys and girls football teams for all ages, and they also run a netball team as well.

Margaret added: "We would like to thank the Dubbs Road manager Lesley Watt for her support and also Arlene McDowell, the 2004s secretary who applied for this opportunity."

The Co-op select a number of local good causes when they distribute money from their charitable scheme.

The Branching Out project in Parklea also benefited to the tune of £4,800.

The Co-op offers members a five per cent reward if they buy Co-op's own brands with the option of passing on another one per cent to one of the charities selected by the store.

The Port Glasgow Voluntary Trans-Port Group were also among those to be awarded cash alongside Inverclyde Recovery Cafe, Kayos Youth Theatre, and Inverclyde Community Development Trust.