A community cinema project has been extended over the next two years after it was awarded a grant of more than £20,000.

The screenings are expected to start in January with two films shown every month.

A free, open-air film festival will also be returning next summer after its successful launch in Beachfields Park, Sheerness, earlier this year.

The indoor shows will be at one of three venues– the sports hall of the Sheppey Healthy Living Centre or either site of Oasis Academy Isle of Sheppey.

The funding was secured from the British Film Institute (BFI) for Sheerness Enhancement Association for Leisure (SEAL).

It came about through an application made by Dave Harcourt, who has experience of the bidding process and is a Swale Community Leisure colleague of SEAL chairman Chris Foulds.

The money will go towards paying for the licences of the films and the charity is considering employing people to set up the equipment.

Part of the agreement with the BFI is for an independent film to be shown on a monthly basis but Mr Foulds said there would be Hollywood blockbusters as well.

Which movies will be shown is yet to be decided but the programme could potentially vary to cater for children and adults.

Mr Foulds said: “This is great news. It has opened up so many more opportunities for us.

“[When we started] we didn’t want to feel like we were going to buy all this equipment and just do it for one year but now we are covered for another two years.

“It has really given us a good opportunity now to do it well.”

He added next year’s outdoor film festival would stay free of charge but it was yet to be decided whether or not the indoor screenings would require a “token” fee to go towards administration costs.