PRESTON'S arts and leisure groups are preparing to receive a share of a £60,000 grant windfall being made available by the council.

Councillors sitting on leisure service (grant aid) sub-committee were due to meet today (March 18) to approve council officers'

recommendations about where the money should go.

More than 30 organisations, including local arts, recreational, leisure and sports groups, applied for cash, of which 21 will receive financial assistance from Preston Borough Council.

The largest benefactors from this year's windfall looks set to be Prescap, the town's community arts project who provoked much criticism when they launched a poster campaign informing Preston's public that disabled people have sex.

The Caribbean Carnival and Arts Association will receive £7,000 while the Preston Mela - the group behind the town's celebration of Asian culture - will be given £7,500.

Preston North End's community scheme has been recommended to receive £5,000 to help fund the football in the community scheme.

Preston Arts Association will grab 33,000 to help stage various workshops throughout the borough, while the town's sports council, which itself gives out grants to local sporting bodies, has been given £2,000.

Green groups with also benefit. The British Trust for Conservation Volunteers will receive £1,000 to help furnish their new environmental resource centre, while the Larches Woodland Group will receive £750 to produce new leaflets and information packs.

Integrate, an organisation which provides employment and training opportunities for people with special needs, has been given £1,033 to develop a sensory garden for disabled people.

And residents in Moor Nook can look forward to another party in Grange Park after their community forum snatched £4,000 to help fund the gathering, scheduled for June this year.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.