FIVE popular Warrington community projects have been awarded almost £170,000 in improvement grants by non-profit-making environmental group WREN.
During its second funding round of the year, Waste Recycling Environmental Ltd has given a combined total of £169,722 to Oakwood Park in Birchwood, Burtonwood Catholic Club, Daresbury Nature Reserve, Longford Community Centre and Westy Park community vision.
Money for the grants has been generated by Waste Recycling Group’s landfill operations throughout the UK.
Westy Park receives the biggest grant of the five Warrington sites in the form of £50,000 to introduce a new state-of-the-art multi-use games area.
Oakwood Park will receive £44,500 to buy and install play equipment and a safer surface for a new play area.
Burtonwood Catholic Club will undergo a complete upgrade and improvement of disabled facilities thanks to a £21,570 award.
A new nature reserve will be created at Daresbury thanks to a grant of £44,400, while Longford Community Centre will improve security through CCTV cameras with their £9,252 award.
Projects applying for grants have to be within a 10 mile radius of a WREN landfill site and are then assessed locally by a panel of experts.
Coun Bob Barr, Warrington Borough Council’s executive member for planning, regeneration and housing, said: “These WREN awards mark the start of a wider ambitious programme, supporting the delivery of the town’s Regeneration Framework and its planned Green Space delivery programme of projects to improve and further develop Warrington’s Parks Green Spaces and Waterways.
“It is also an example of what can be achieved when groups and organisations work together.”
WREN’s Project Manager, Richard Smith, said: “It’s pleasing to see a good variety of projects coming forward for funding in 2008, especially those from community groups. In addition, we are pleased to announce that we have now launched a small grant scheme aimed at simplifying the application process for groups looking for grants of between £2,000 and £15,000 towards projects costing no more than £50,000.”
The next deadlines for applications to WREN are today (Friday)and September 26. All community groups are encouraged to forward applications of between £2,000 and £50,000 for capital projects.
Anyone requiring more information about applications or WREN can do so by visiting www.wren.org.uk
Picture: Daresbury nature reserve at present
Community projects win £170,000
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Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
