A POT of cash which enables the community to benefit when criminals are locked up is being relaunched by the county’s police and crime commissioner.

Clive Grunshaw has revived his Community Action Fund with £150,000 worth of funding, all seized from crooks across Lancashire so it can be invested into worthwhile initiatives.

Last year Blackburn with Darwen saw successful bids for the fund increase eight-fold ­— in 2017/18 there was just one accepted application.

But during 2018/19, the borough received £19,413 towards community cohesion and crime-busting schemes.

One was £2,200 for the Arts 2 Heal group, based in Blackburn Library, for their Tied Up With a Scarf project. Working out of Blackburn Library, participants were urged to discover more about different cultures, while fashioning their own neckwear.

Blackburn with Darwen Youth Awareness Project, was also able to extend its work and training services with financial aid.

Three grants were supported in Burnley, another three in Ribble Valley and two in Hyndburn.

Another £2,800 was delivered to the Rawtenstall-based Lancashire Equalities Organisation to support their Man Reach Out concept.

This involved raising awareness of domestic abuse and challenging behaviours in grass-roots communities, through a series of workshops.

Mr Grunshaw said: “I’m pleased that we are able to provide more funding through the Community Action Fund than ever before, which has been recovered from Proceeds of Crime hearings and will be invested into our neighbourhoods to ultimately tackle crime and keep people safe.

“Local people have great ideas that can make a real, measurable difference in their areas and I have seen this time and again since launching first launching the fund six years ago.

“Since that time I have funded 236 projects which have been delivered in every area of Lancashire and I’m excited to see this work continue.

“They deliver great value-for-money with the relatively small investment often having a large impact both on individuals and communities as a whole and help me to achieve my key priorities in my Police and Crime Plan.”

Last year the fund dished out £111,625 to deserving causes. Applications can be made via lancashire-pcc.gov.uk or call 01772 412796.