ENVIRONMENTAL groups aiming to improve the Leeds and Liverpool Canal corridor through Nelson and Brierfield have been promised a slice of more than £240,000 of funding.

Pendle Partnership has agreed to allocate £90,000 in the next three years for the improvement work and this will be matched by £150,000 of funding from the National Lottery New Opportunities Fund, as well as a small amount of private money.

The funding will contribute to a Small Project's Fund worth £195,000, which will provide opportunities for community and voluntary groups and others to access the cash to carry out small-scale environmental improvements on the canal and in surrounding areas.

Bidders will be able to apply for between £50 and £15,000 of regeneration funding.

The Small Project's Fund is expected to help improve two hectares of land -- about the size of three football pitches -- and provide opportunities for 200 school pupils and 150 young people to get involved. Volunteering opportunities will also be available for at least 50 people.

It will help to place community and voluntary organisations such as residents' groups and canal users such as cyclists, walkers and anglers on a more equal footing when bidding for funding.

The Small Projects Fund is the first stage of Pendle Partnership's involvement in the regeneration of the canal corridor and it has promised to fund a further £354,000 of environmental work, in and around the canal, during the next three years.

A spokesman for Pendle Partnership said: "Community involvement in the regeneration of the canal is vital to the long-term success and sustainability of any work that is carried out. The Small Project's Fund and support from Pendle's Canal Corridor Coordinator will help to overcome the difficulties that small community and voluntary groups can face when they apply for grants. Up to 50 community and voluntary groups will be supported."

Larger organisations including Wildlife Trusts, Groundwork Trusts, the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers, Pendle Leisure and the Primary Care Trust will be encouraged to work with the smaller community and voluntary groups.

This will enable smaller organisations who have good ideas, but lack the skills to deliver them, to benefit from the learning and mentoring opportunities available from larger organisations.

Groups who want to apply for funding should contact Pendle's canal corridor co-ordinator, Tricia Wilson, on 01282 661964 or email tricia.wilson@pendle.gov.uk.

Her job is to encourage people's ideas for regenerating the canal and to support their development.

Funding allocations from the Small Project's Fund will be made by the Canal Corridor Stakeholder Group, which includes representatives from British Waterways, Pendle Partnership, Pendle Community Network and Pendle Council.

Pendle Partnership chairman Dennis Mendoros said: "Work to improve the canal should now start happening quickly. It is vital that residents and smaller voluntary and community groups are given a chance to access Pendle Partnership's funding.

"The Small Project's Fund will be simple, straightforward and easy to access. The canal provides a great development opportunity for Pendle in general and Nelson and Brierfield in particular."