CHARITIES in Oxfordshire have just one day left to apply for to apply for a grant of up to £10,000 towards a vital project.

The Oxford Mail’s parent company Gannett Media is giving away thousands of pounds to good causes across the county but charities need to apply by tomorrow.

David Cairns, who co-founded the Oxford Food Bank which has previously benefitted from the scheme, has encouraged charitable organisations to put their name in the hat.

Mr Cairns, who set up the food bank in 2009 with business partner Robin Aitken, said the £10,000 they received in 2012 gave their operation a vital boost.

He said: "It was great, it came at exactly the right time for us and we were able to buy a walk-in chiller which allowed us to expand our operations.

"Several years on and we are busier than ever. We have around 120 volunteers helping out and we work eight hours a day, seven days a week.

"I would say that's more than double the volunteers we had before the grant - I would definitely urge others to apply."

Now the food bank delivers to 60 charities in the city centre, Didcot, Bicester and Abingdon and has an army volunteers on top of two part-time paid workers.

From women's refuges to homeless shelters, the charity donates over a tonne of food a day and supplies 2,000 meals a day.

But earlier this year the charity revealed it needed around £70,000 in operating costs to keep up the good work.

Mr Cairns added: "Our recent fundraising efforts have been going well but we are always looking for donations for our operating costs which are quite high and not covered by grants."

Every year the Gannett Foundation, the charitable arm of the Oxford Mail’s parent company, gives away about £20,000 to good causes in Oxfordshire.

Charities could be in with a chance of receiving a grant of £5,000, £10,000, or more but the deadline is Friday, October 14.

Money given out over the years has gone to a wide variety of causes, including helping to relocate a charity providing “talking newspapers” to the blind, helping to reopen a community adventure playground and supporting the opening of a new café giving disabled youngsters work experience.

Oxford Mail managing editor Sara Taylor said: "This is a great chance for charities across the county to apply for extra funding in what is a financially difficult time.

"It is becoming increasingly hard for charities and community projects to secure extra funding and I would hope many take advantage of this opportunity."

She added: "I am also very glad to see that the trustees have expanded its criteria to welcome more organisations, such as scouting or guiding groups, to apply."