HUNDREDS of campaigners will join council workers for a day of fun activities to help launch a community centre's bid for lottery cash.

Officials at The New Era Centre, Accrington, are applying for money from the Lottery Millennium Commission to build new premises on a site in Paradise Street, Accrington.

The centre will provide a venue for public performances and Asian heritage events, a focus for education and training and a base for young people's activities and advice services.

On Saturday, September 7, at 11am the launch of the application will kick off at Accrington Town Hall with opening speeches by Greg Pope MP and Coun George Slynn, leader of Hyndburn Council. A pushchair race will then leave for the New Era site, topped off with an archer firing the bid across the length of the main hall.

DASH, the disability sports organisation, will join in the fun by taking the bid's special envelope to the Globe Enterprise Centre, Accrington.

And young people in Asian dress will take part in a run via mosques on Higher Antley Street and Lower Antley Street.

In the afternoon a vintage motorbike driven by Lancashire Youth and Community Services Peter Haken will pass the bid over to Mike Chambers, Hyndburn's chief executive.

He will pedal the application up the old railway line to Baxenden.

The Mayor of Hyndburn Coun Mirza Yousaf will formally hand over the bid at 2.30pm on Monday, September 9, in London.

Coun Slynn said: "We hope to have on the day but there's a serious side to this, too.

"We can show the number of people who support the partnership's plans for New Era and are prepared to put in time and effort to show that support, and, hopefully win new friends."

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