SCHOOLS which help out people who live in the communities surrounding their classrooms and playgrounds are to be rewarded for their efforts.

The annual award will be open to all schools in Blackburn with Darwen Council's education action zone, an initiative involving 22 schools aimed at driving up standards in education.

Schools judged to have set up the best community scheme will keep for 12 months a special silver salver presented by British Aerospace.

The project can be anything from an environmental scheme to a neighbourhood project of a school programme involving parents.

Today, British Aerospace were presenting the salver to Lord Taylor of Blackburn who will, in turn, present it to the education action zone on behalf of the education and employment secretary David Blunkett.

Mr Blunkett's involvement follows January's visit with Prime Minister Tony Blair and Home Secretary and Blackburn MP Jack Straw, to Our Lady and St John Roman Catholic High School, one of the schools in the zone.

Education and training committee chairman Coun Bill Taylor and Chris Rogan from British Aerospace were also attending the presentation at Audley Infants School, as well as representatives from the school and the council.

It is the second salver to be presented to the zone by British Aerospace.

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