A total of 14 county-based charities have won a £1,000 Christmas gift thanks to nominations from the public.

The organisations were nominated to win a share of £120,000 as part of specialist insurer Ecclesiastical's annual 12 days of giving Christmas campaign.

Allsorts Gloucestershire, which offers everyday fun activities and support for families who have children with additional needs, and Cotswold Riding for the Disabled, which provides riding lessons and other equine-based activities for disabled adults and children (see notes for full list1), are among the local charities set to benefit from the money following overwhelming public support in the area.

Other Gloucestershire winners included Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway Trust, Cirencester Housing for Young People, Scrubditch Care Farm, Insight Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire Boathouse Limited, Scoo-B-Doo, Paws Rescue UK, Parents and Friends of Randwick School, Longfield Hospice Care, Friends of Leonard Stanley School, Cirencester Open Air Swimming Pool Association and Teckels Animal Sanctuaries.

10,145 Gloucestershire residents nominated a cause close to their hearts, with 179 charitable causes in the area receiving votes. The 120 winning charities across the UK were picked at random from those nominated.

"Owned by a charity, here at Ecclesiastical our core purpose is to contribute to the greater good of society, so charitable giving is at the heart of our business," said Mark Hews, Group CEO at Ecclesiastical.

"We know that £1,000 can make a huge difference to the incredible work that charities do, and we're looking forward to seeing how this financial boost will change lives for the better. We hope these donations can bring a positive end to a difficult year and a promising start to 2021."

A representative from Allsorts Gloucestershire said: "This incredible donation of £1,000 will pay for our Stroud Activity Hub to stay open for one month. This will enable us to run our Covid safe play sessions which are vital for families, many of whom struggle to access things outside of Allsorts.

"Our toys and equipment can help improve physical, developmental and cognitive skills in a fun and safe way. Parents and carers can come and seek support through peers or our friendly and welcoming team."

A representative from Cotswold Riding for the Disabled said: "Cotswold RDA is so much more than just a riding school- it really is a very special community. We worked so hard to change our operations to be Covid secure and were thrilled to welcome 80 disabled adults and children back in the saddle.

"Throughout lockdown, we want to reach even more people and so are launching a series of videos starring one of our horses, Freddie. These videos will bring riding into the homes of our community virtually and we can provide sensory items including hay, old tack and brushes to enhance the experience further."