Westhead Village Hall is one of five highly deserving local groups celebrating after being awarded grants through the Whitemoss Community Fund.

They fought off stiff competition from 10 other local projects, rising to the top for the level of community benefit they will each deliver.

The Village Hall scooped the largest grant with £19,734 handed over to improve the Hall to encourage community use of the building; it was recently taken over by the local community when it faced closure in 2016.

Ian Davis, Treasurer and Trustee at the Hall said: "The Trustees are extremely grateful for the grant. This will enable renovation and improvement of the hall which will increase the life and continue to provide excellent facilities for the residents of Westhead and surrounding areas for many years to come."

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And the communities of Crawford Village and Burscough will both benefit from awards of around £18,500; the grant awarded to Crawford Village and Pimbo Lane Playing Fields was the final piece in the jigsaw to allow the £90,000 Play Park project to begin, while Burscough CC will use their grant award to create a new picnic and play area adjacent to the Club which will be a welcome stopping point for people enjoying a walk on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal towpath which runs past the Cricket Club.

Gordon Anderson Trustee at Burscough Cricket Club said: ”Burscough Cricket Club are absolutely delighted to receive this award which enables us to continue working towards introducing more of the local residents, school children and visitors into what will become our new picnic and wildlife area. This will be accessible from the canal bank throughout the year and also links into the new pathway along the boundary of our ground to the Village, with the recently installed fencing also providing a safe route for walkers.”

Quarry Bank Community Association were excited to learn they have been awarded £16,484 to install two shipping containers in the grounds at the rear of the community building and transform them into a fully accessible ‘Men’s Shed’ workshop. But ladies do not fear, the Shed will be available to all with activities such as woodwork, bike repairing, mechanics and furniture restoration on offer to all.

Last but by no means least Up Holland Parish Council are set to receive £6,060 to improve a stretch of footpath in the popular local woodland area of Dean Wood. The scheme will include drainage and footpath works to make access easier throughout the year and reduce access problems caused by flooding.

Councillor Barry Hale, Chairman of the PC, said: “Thanks to this grant there will be a further increase in the number of walkers visiting this historic woodland.”

The Whitemoss Community Fund is provided by Whitemoss Landfill Limited who operate the landfill site in Skelmersdale. The Fund has awarded grants to local communities around the site each year since 2010. This year’s successful schemes has taken the total awarded by the Fund to a massive £415,000 which has been shared between 34 lucky local projects.

Rob Routledge, Chair of the Whitemoss Community Fund Advisory Group said: “Whitemoss Landfill is committed to supporting our local community and to protecting the environment. We are pleased that by funding these valuable local projects the Community Fund has helped in the delivery of both these objectives by facilitating important improvements to community facilities and the local environment.”

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 01282 543775 for more details.