A sports centre has been given a funding boost to improve its offering of activities to residents.  

Blackrod Sports and Community Centre has been awarded £169,888 The National Lottery Community Fund.

The Blackrod Sports and Community Centre Charity will use the funding to "help to educate and empower through support and guidance local people to make positive life choices based on knowledge and experience rather than fear, isolation and ignorance". 

The project will "actively seek to involve as many local people into health lifestyle sessions".

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The charity will work with people in Blackrod, Horwich and Westhoughton of all ages on programmes to "improve people's health and wellbeing, educational attainment and employability by developing confidence, life skills and resilience".

The funding will more than double the activities the Greenbarn Way-based centre runs as well as its health, wellbeing and lifestyles staff for the next three years.

The investment will allow "more varied and accessible sessions" to be delivered from June and run for at least the next three years.

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Chief executive of the charity, David Holden-Locke, said: “Thanks to National Lottery players, this grant means that we can make a big difference to people’s lives.

"This is the largest grant we have received so far, and it allows us to fulfil our commitment made when we took over the building from Bolton Council as a community asset transfer in 2017.   

"Since the charity took over responsibility for the building and pitches, we have secured over half a million pounds.

"In the last three months alone, we have secured over £200,000 and cannot wait to roll out a new full programme of activities for local people.

"We are now rightly being recognised as a beacon of good practice for community asset transfers, with support and the right sustainable model of delivery other council assets can be brought into community ownership and be as successful as we are ensuring treasured buildings and assets are not lost.”

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The centre will also work with partners on the activities.

National Lottery players raise more than £30m a week for good causes across the UK.

The National Lottery Community Fund distributes a share of this to projects to support people and communities to prosper and thrive.