INVERCLYDE residents are being given the chance to nominate important causes to receive a share of £120,000.

The Benefact Group's Movement for Good Awards is set to donate this sum as part of its annual 12 Days of Giving Christmas campaign.

The specialist financial services group will give £1,000 each to ten charities every day, for 12 days, leading up to Christmas.

This means a total of 120 charities will receive a festive financial boost.

Nominations are now open and residents across Scotland are encouraged to propose a cause they care about, giving them a chance to receive part of the award money.

The draws will take place every weekday between December 5 and December 20 and nominating is easy using the online form at the Movement for Good website.

Winners will be drawn at random, and the more times a charity is nominated, the greater their chance of selection.

Last year, more than 52,000 people from Scotland nominated worthy causes for the award, resulting in 12 local charities each receiving a £1,000 donation.

Nikkita Dadd from Calum's Cabin, one of last year's beneficiaries, said: "The £1,000 donation from Benefact Group greatly helped us in supporting families affected by childhood cancer, either with a holiday on the Isle of Bute, in Ayrshire or Anstruther near St Andrews, or with longer-term accommodation in Glasgow.

"We have nine Glasgow flats that accommodate families who have to travel away from home for their child’s cancer treatments, helping take a huge stress away while they are going through the darkest of times.

"This donation went towards our fundraising and helped us to complete our goal of purchasing flat number ten."

Mark Hews, group chief executive of the Benefact Group, said: "We’re delighted to be giving away another £120,000 in valuable donations to causes around the country.

"We know that charities across the country are struggling, and for many, the festive season is a critical time.

"We’re asking residents to take a few minutes of their time to nominate a cause they especially care about."

The Benefact Group, the third largest corporate donor in the UK, has donated more than £200million to charitable causes since 2014 and aims to reach £250million in donations by 2025.

The group, owned by a charity, donates all its available profits to good causes.

Earlier this year, the Benefact Group donated 370 awards of £1,000 each, followed by £250,000 in special grants, and up to £500,000 has also been given in larger grants in October.