THREE disability projects in Gwent will be awarded a share of £1 million today to mark the European Year of Disabled People.

They are among 78 projects in the UK - including ten local projects in Wales and three Wales-wide projects - to successfully bid for the European Commission cash awards.

The Abergavenny-based CAIR (Contact Action Inform and Represent) Monmouthshire Disablement Assoc-iation will be awarded about £5,500 for their project - 'Monmouthshire's European Year of Disabled People'.

Jenny Barnes, joint secretary of the association, said: "We are putting the money with £2,000 we've already got to do a series of events throughout Monmouthshire this year, to bring to the attention of disabled people and local businesses the Disability Discrimination Act.

"We need to highlight the problems faced by disabled people and get as many people as we can to realise that the legislation is coming in.

"We will be trying to suggest ways to conform with the Act by removing barriers for disabled people.

"It's the first time in our 22 years that we've had a sizeable chunk of money."

Gwent Association for the Blind, based in Pontypool, will be awarded a grant for their Community Link Programme.

And Cwmbran-based Torfaen Citizen Advocacy, which offers independent advocacy for people with learning difficulties, will be awarded a grant for their Peer Advocacy Project.

The three successful Wales-wide organisations were:

* The Federation of Sports Associations for the Disabled (Wales)

* SCOVO (Standing Conference of Voluntary Organisations)

* Arts Disability Wales.

The grant winners will be announced at the launch of the European Year of Disabled People at County Hall, Cardiff, this evening.

Ann Jones AM, chairman of the Assembly's Equality of Opportunity Committee, will kick off the Year in Wales with a reception and a celebration of music, poetry, drama and art created by disabled artists from all over Wales.

Hosted by radio presenter Nicola Heywood-Thomas, this is one of a series of high-profile events taking place across Europe, and the first in the UK.

This year was designated European Year of Disabled People, with the aim of raising awareness and promoting the civil rights of disabled people.