Decade of support raises £200,000 for Lancaster community projects – and applications are open for more

The fund, which has just celebrated its tenth birthday, supports community-based and environmental projects and has so far given away £200,000.

Examples of successful recipients include:

*Greaves Park: A project to create a ‘tree trail’ in Greaves Park through identifying the native and unusual non-native trees with a series of signs and labels

*Stodday picnic area: A new picnic table, benches, resurfacing of the ground surface and boundary, and control of the vegetation at Stodday picnic area on Lune cycle path

*St Peter’s Church, Quernmore: A project to create new internal spaces in the church to enable it to be used for a much more comprehensive range of community events and activities

*Fairfield Nature Reserve: A project to install benches along the new Pony Wood path, part of the Fauna and Flora Nature Reserve

"Interest in the Community Benefit Fund was high, meaning we have had to be selective of the projects awarded grants," environment and sustainability manager Jon Mills said. "A wide range of high-quality projects were represented in the applications received, making selection challenging."

The wind turbine at Lancaster University produces around 15 per cent of the overall energy demand on campus each year and The Community Benefits Fund uses some of that benefit to engage with the local community to promote sustainable projects.

For more information on the fund or to upload and application, go online at https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/sustainability/get-involved/community-benefits-fund/how-to-apply/

Applications will be accepted until Friday June 30.