COWLEY Road Carnival and Blackbird Leys Adventure Playground are among the many projects and schemes to benefit from the latest round of community funding announced by Oxford University.

The university announced this week its latest community funding pledges for a series of projects and schemes across the city.

A grant of £750 has been given to Turtle Opera Oxford, a drama and music project for 10-14 year olds with Autism Spectrum Disorders based at the university's faculty of music.

Artistic director Charlotte Cunningham, aged 49, said she was thrilled with the funding boost and added that the project desperately needed more assistance.

She said: "I am delighted because it was the first time we have had funding directly from the university. They give us a huge amount of support in terms of space.

"It is very difficult to get funding for schemes working with people on the autistic spectrum. I think because its not considered to be a health condition.

"The project is incredibly important for the children. Some of the feedback from parents we have had is that it is life-changing for them. Some of the children are not in education, so it is very important to them."

Funding has also been provided to East Oxford's Pegasus Theatre's Remix Summer Arts Project, a weekly group which gives young refugees and asylum seekers an opportunity to engage with the arts.

A grant of £1,250 has been awarded to the Junior Leader Initiative at Blackbird Leys Adventure Playground which aims to give young teens 'a voice' in their community.

More than £1,000 has also been given to Start!, a project to provide digital media and creative writing workshops for young homeless people in Headington.

Funding has also been provided for Oxford Open Doors, Cowley Road Carnival and Christmas Light Night.

Cowley Road Carnival spokesperson Sarah Airey said: "Funding is crucial to the success and the future of the Cowley Road Carnival. We need to raise something like around £150,000 in order to effect the successful staging of the carnival.

"There is a lot of activity behind the scenes that goes towards organising the event. The costs of stewarding, provision of toilets, first aid, closing the road and the event management, go to the organisations behind the event."

Margaret Ounsley, Head of Government and Community Relations at Oxford University, said: "We are delighted to have funded so many interesting and creative projects that make a big contribution to the community.

"We warmly encourage individuals and organisations who want to add to the variety and activity of the local community to apply for a grant."