A PROJECT which helps people compose songs about the places they live and the times they have seen has received a cash boost of almost £10,000.

York Early Music Foundation's ChOral History project is compiling a CD featuring professional musicians and local people, with songs about their life and times.

The cash, totalling £9,450, came from the Lloyds TSB Foundation, which helps community causes, and York branch manager Jeff Metcalfe visited some younger members of the project, from All Saints' School, to see how they were doing.

The CD is being put together thanks to the music technology resources at the National Centre for Early Music, and will be available for participants' friends and families to buy.

The songs will also be performed at a public concert and in residential homes for older people.

Cathy Dew, the foundation's education manager, said: "We are delighted to receive this funding from the Lloyds TSB Foundation, which will enable us to get going with the ChOral History project.

"We are very excited about the project, and believe that a songwriting project lends itself well to collaboration between young and older people.

Mr Metcalfe said: "This is an excellent charity, and an interesting project."

Updated: 10:38 Saturday, February 23, 2002