Grants worth up to £5,000 are being handed out by Tower Hamlets Council to combat loneliness.

It has announced the funding for community projects aimed at reducing social isolation among residents.

Small informal community groups can apply for between £200 and £1,000, while larger charities could get up to £5,000 for a project in the borough.

It comes after Tower Hamlets' Health and Wellbeing Board set up a "loneliness taskforce" last year.

Taskforce chairwoman councillor Denise Jones said: "Loneliness can affect anyone at any age and we want to make sure that Tower Hamlets is a borough where people can make and maintain meaningful social interactions.

"Anyone in Tower Hamlets can apply for our new small grants and we encourage people to get creative in their applications. Some examples could include music, singing, artwork, visits to exhibitions, organised trips, sports, swimming, cooking and eating together and befriending. We look forward to seeing how our residents would like to work together to increase social connections in their community."

Mayor John Biggs added: "Tackling loneliness in our borough is a key priority for us. Our new taskforce on loneliness is working hard to find ways that we can reduce the risk of social isolation.

"This funding opportunity is a great way to get our residents involved."

To apply for funding, visit www.eastendcf.org/tower-hamlets-grants