More than £210,000 awarded to community groups from GDF programme

The projects to benefit are:

• £84,838 to revamp Beckermet Play Area with new equipment

• £20,845 for Thornhill Social Club to improve access and provide a refurbishment plan

• £49,114 for Gosforth Nursery and Out of School Club to provide an outdoor classroom, new equipment, resurfacing and fencing

• £42,397 to Friends of Gosforth School to replace the Adventure Trail, provide new outdoor seating and an outdoor reflection area

• £1,590 for Calderbridge and Ponsonby Village Hall to provide a structural survey and energy audit

Children choose their favourite equipment for Beckermet play area

• £5,900 to Gosforth Agricultural Show for hire of a new arts & crafts marquee, plus purchase of tables and chairs which can be used by the community

• £8,000 Gosforth Library Link for a new computer and some building refurbishment

• £5,370 for Seascale Community Library to fund an architect’s report into options to transform it into a community hub Formation of the Mid Copeland GDF Community Partnership has given access to £1million.

Andy Pratt, Chair of the Mid Copeland GDF Community Partnership, said: “A total of £283,553 has now been awarded for projects in Mid Copeland since the Community Partnership formed.

“It’s fantastic to see examples of how this funding is now starting to help make some transformations to facilities, play areas and community groups across Mid Copeland which are really important to people.

Thornhill Social Club are planning improvements with the Community Investment Funding

“I would urge people to consider what they could do locally with this funding and have a chat with the Community Investment Funding team to see what is possible.”

Gosforth Nursery and Out of School Club provides places for around 50 children in their full day care and nursery facilities, with many others attending out of school clubs. The funding will provide a much-needed second outdoor classroom for the youngsters, plus new equipment.

Manager Gillian Jackson is delighted with the funding. She said: “The importance of playing and learning in the outdoors is promoted at the nursery for children of all ages. This funding will allow us to further develop and enhance the outdoor provision we offer to children in the local and wider community and continue to promote the quality of the health and wellbeing of all those working and playing at our setting.”

Gill Hewitson, secretary of Thornhill Social Club, said their funding would help the committee do some resurfacing work outside and provide access for disabled people.

“It will also help us to draw up plans to modernise the building inside and upgrade the facilities. We’ve done a lot ourselves so far but we’re absolutely delighted with this funding as it will help us to get a refurbishment plan so we can hopefully open up more, particularly in the afternoons for meetings and other events,” she said.

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Julie Nugent, Chair of Beckermet with Thornhill Parish Council, says plans for a revamp of the village play area in Beckermet can now become a reality.

A large piece of equipment had to be removed as it had fallen into disrepair after 22 years. The children have been involved in choosing their preferred equipment which they would like to see in the new facility “This funding is really going to make a huge difference to the children as there is not much equipment left now. It’s going to be a fabulous play park which will be for younger children and juniors,” she said.

David Halliday, a trustee of Seascale Community Library and Chair of the Parish Council, said: “We’re delighted the money has been awarded to this exciting project. The building has a lot of potential and the funding will provide us with an architect’s report with options to turn it into a community hub with meeting rooms and a library.”