Young players net cash for new goals
ENGLAND’S potential World Cup stars of the future are the latest to benefit from the Whitemoss Community Fund as it hits the half a million pound mark.
The fund has announced a series of grants, taking the total it has handed out to local projects to £500,000 since it started in 2010.
This year, two groups were lucky enough to gain £20,000 each, the maximum grant available through the fund.
Among those to benefit were:
Skelmersdale Junior Football League, which will buy new goals with its grant of £13,200 so that it can continue to provide development football opportunities for thousands of children each weekend at its home at Whitemoss Playing Fields.
Groundwork Cheshire, Lancashire and Merseyside, which will use its £20,000 to improve the fishing pond at Tawd Valley as part of a larger improvement project planned for the area.
Hillside Community Primary School, which will use its grant to start phase one of a programme of improvement works on the community field next to the school to create a pocket park for the community.
Third Way CIC, which was awarded £19,335 to create a community art hub in Parbold.
The Greenhill Community Hub, which will use its grant to buy IT equipment to ensure users have the latest technology and don’t become digitally excluded.
Lancashire Wildlife Trust which will be creating the necessary infrastructure to allow conservation grazing to take place at Scutchers Acres, Lathom.
Hilldale Community Association. which will repair and replace seating on the playing field to ensure continued use of this green area by the community it serves.
And 40th Ormskirk and 1st Parbold and Newburgh Scouts, which both secured small grants to improve their facilities.
Jeanette Newman said: “We are buzzing at The Greenhill Community Hub - new computers, new lighting, projectors and screens will enable us to improve the lives of so many people, whether it’s through our own activities or through the improved activities of the groups that hire the rooms.
“It really is exciting news as the grant will bring us digitally up to date and inject new life into the Hub so we can help those who are digitally excluded.”
Angela AspinwallLivesey, executive head teacher of Hillside Community Primary School said: “What a bonus to be able to begin to transform our beautiful green space into an activity hub for the benefit of everybody who lives in the Tanhouse area - a place to meet, walk, run and enjoy activities.”
The Whitemoss Community Fund is provided by Whitemoss Landfill Ltd which operates the landfill site in Skelmersdale.
The fund has awarded grants to local communities around the site each year since 2010.
So far, 43 local groups have benefited.
Rob Routledge, chair of the Whitemoss Community Fund Advisory Group said: “This is great news for local groups.
“I’m particularly pleased that this year’s windfall stood at over £116,000 – that’s the largest annual sum given away by the fund since it launched in 2010.
“As a long established company employing local people, Whitemoss is proud to actively support local organisations who do so much good work in the community.
“I hope that over the coming years that we are able to continue and grow that support.
“I am particularly pleased at the quality of the projects that the community fund is able to assist in Skelmersdale and West Lancashire over the coming year.”
The Whitemoss Community Fund offers grants between £5,000 and £20,000 for community projects in Skelmersdale.
Visit www.grantscape. org.uk or call Liz Payne 07963 987653 for more details.