Your chance to make a difference to good causes in East Lancashire

In June we invited grant applications after reporting that we had teamed up with the Big Lottery Fund to give out the money across the newspaper’s readership area.

Almost 70 organisations answered the call and applied for grants of between £10,000 and £30,000.

Now a shortlist of 17 projects has been drawn up and it is revealed here for the first time.

Dharmendra Kanani, Big Lottery Fund England Director said: “We’ve had an amazing response from local community organisations hoping for their share of Lottery funding.

“Now is the time to get ready to vote for your favourites.

“Through our partnership with the Lancashire Telegraph, we want you to help us decide where £250,000 goes to support projects which will deliver the spirit, imagination and aspirations of local people and communities. Let’s get ready to see people powered change in action.”

Over the next two weeks, starting today, readers will have the chance to vote for their favourite project out of the 17 which will be profiled.

Readers must follow instructions and use the form printed in the Lancashire Telegraph. The form will be printed each night until September 21.

After the votes are counted successful groups selected to receive Lancashire Telegraph Community Cash Awards will be revealed during the week beginning September 30.

THE SHORTLIST

The line-up of shortlisted bids is:

1 Age UK Lancashire Burnley (£17,452)

For a community garden as an extension of specialist Dementia Day Support Service

2 Audley Community School (£27,580)
With two other junior schools to redevelop land to create habitats for children to learn about the natural environment

3 Clitheroe Youth Forum (£30,000)
For a relaxing fishing lake designed and created with Pendle View Fisheries by and for young people of all ages and disabilities

4 Burnley Home Improvement Agency (£26,828)
To provide a service to enhance the home security of vulnerable people to reduce crime and make them feel safer

5 Community Solutions North West (£19,982)
To further develop a food-bank with a difference in Burnley using trained volunteers to supply provisions and help clients

6 Crossroads East Lancashire (£12,581)
To set up in Blackburn with Darwen a singing group for those living with dementia and their carers and offer support

7 Proffitts CIC (£20,000)
Rossendale project working with wounded ex-armed forces personnel and the local community to take part in mountain biking activities

8 Travel Assist Services (£10,120)
To provide affordable, professional, accessible community transport for elderly and disabled people across East Lancashire

9 Rhyddings B and E School (£27,000)
To buy range of specialist bikes for disabled and able bodied people of all ages to enable them to become more active

10 Rossendale and Pendle Mountain Rescue Team (£30,000)
Funding to replace their crucial search control vehicle used in searches and rescues

11 St Mary’s CE Primary School, Rawtenstall (£18,160)
To establish an outdoor parent/toddler group within an enclosed safe woodland area of school grounds

12 Alltogether Social Trust (£15,380)
Helping Hands Project in Blackburn and Darwen to alleviate the effects disability can have on the whole family

13 Sophie Lancaster Foundation (£29,000)
Extend anti-bullying and violent prejudice project to encompass school pupils aged from 7 to 19 (25 if vulnerable)

14 Youth Action Enterprise, Blackburn (£27,417)
Help young people to consider setting up their own business as an alternative to other forms of employment

15 Early Break (£30,000)
Early intervention, street-based drug/alcohol help service for under 21s to be delivered as outreach service across East Lancashire

16 Under 17s Motor Club (£16,875)
To help educate young riders and drivers by road safety education to 13-15 year-olds in schools and 14-19s in youth groups

17 East Lancs Hospice (£13,500)
Replace old, unreliable van used to collect donations, deliver goods to its furniture shop, dispose of rubbish and take donations to shops