£¼M Lottery Fund Boost For Play

A major £¼M cash boost for play in the district, which is set to benefit children and young people in the area, has been announced by the Big Lottery Fund today.

This important news is being welcomed by Dover District Council, which submitted its application for the grant under the Big Lottery Children's Play Programme earlier this year. It has been confirmed that the district is being awarded a £257,702 windfall.

Three projects were put forward by a special Play Partnership to the Big Lottery Fund. These projects are the refurbishment of the Pencester Gardens play area in Dover, and a contribution to work at the Marke Wood play area and the Deal Skate Park. Consultation work has already begun with children and young people on these projects and it is intended that all three projects be complete by early summer 2008.

The Play Partnership, led by Dover District Council, has been working to address issues of play provision across the area and has produced a play strategy for the district. The partnership includes a range of agencies and organizations involved in the play sector in the community.

The Big Lottery Fund has committed £155 million of lottery funding to improve and develop play across England. Grants are being awarded to projects, which create and design innovative children's play facilities with the aim of providing free local play provision for youngsters.

Cllr Nigel Collor, DDC Cabinet Member for Access said: "This is great news for the district and we welcome this award from the Big Lottery Fund. This important news adds to a major £200,000 commitment by DDC to play areas. This will mean improvements to the quality of a number of play sites across the district."

Full details of Big Lottery Fund programmes and grant awards are available on the website www.biglotteryfund.org.uk.