A RIBBLE Valley businessman has set up links to help one of the European Union's newest member states get its hands on much-needed Euro cash.

Keith Shortley, from Clitheroe, is to help voluntary groups in Poland bid for European money in an effort to kick-start the country's fledgling voluntary sector.

His firm of commercial consultants, Solutions, has already secured a £90,000 grant from the British Foreign Office which will help set up links between the former Eastern Bloc country and the North West.

He hopes his expertise in securing government cash, through his own voluntary sector work, will help newly-formed groups shake off the ravages of Communism and help some of Poland's more disadvantaged sections of society.

He said: "When the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, Poland, like many former Communist countries, didn't have such a thing as voluntary groups. Everything had been provided by the state."

Keith will travel to Lublin, Poland, next week to meet with several groups in an effort to set up permanent links with the country.