HUNDREDS of extra places are to be provided at before and after school clubs in East Lancashire thanks to grants totalling more than £200,000.

The money is part of a £1.8million windfall to be distributed throughout the North West by the National Lottery's New Opportunities Fund.

Under the scheme Darwen schools, which fall under the local education authority at Blackburn with Darwen Council, take the lion's share of the cash.

A grant of £50,000 has been awarded to the town's Barnabas Schools Out which will create a 40-place before and after school club and holiday playscheme to serve children aged three to 11-years-old from St Barnabas CE Primary in Knowlesly Road, Ashleigh Primary in Ross Street and St Joseph's RC Primary in Limes Avenue.

Darwen will also benefit from a new 30-place out-of-school-hours club called Darwen Kids Play, which has been allocated a £43,000 grant to help cater for children aged between five and 11-years-old from Avondale County Primary School in Durham Road, and a further grant of £50,000 is to go to Kidsland, which will create a 40-place before and after school and holiday club to serve St Paul's CE Primary in Bayne Street, Hoddlesden. Families of Autistic Children Working Together, which is also based in Darwen, is to get £10,000 to set up a 16-place summer playscheme to accommodate children with special needs from Broadlands Special School in Roman Road, Blackburn, while £46,000 will go to Kids Crew to provide a 34-place out of school hours clubs for children from St Cuthbert's CE Primary in Albans Road, Darwen.

Bill Haworth, of Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: "We are absolutely delighted that this extra money has been made available in the borough where before and after school clubs and holiday playschemes are to be set up to benefit primary aged children here."

A further grant of more than £6,000 is to go to Buckshaw Kids Club, Chorley, to set up a 16-place after school club for local children aged three to 14-years-old.

The New Opportunities Fund distributes lottery money to health, education and environment projects across the UK which will improve the life of people, address the needs of the most disadvantaged people in society and encourage community participation.

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