MORE than £540,000 of National Lottery funding was awarded across the Keighley area last year.

A total of 15 lottery grants were given out in the region during 2015 to support arts, sports and heritage projects or help community groups working people in need.

Lottery funding is also helping communities recover from flooding with Sport England’s Emergency Flood Relief Fund awarding up to £400,000 to repair facilities and pitches.

A local projects benefited last year was Been Busy in Silsden, which received £9,998 to to deliver a series of craft workshops for carers and people with disabilities.

Keighley Area Sports Association received £10,000 to deliver cricket-based maths activities for young people and their parents.

Haworth Riding for the Disabled received £10,000 to run a luncheon club for people with physical and learning disabilities.

All. Keighley projects that have received lottery funding in the past have a chance to enter the National Lottery Awards 2016.

Award winners winners will receive a further £3,000 and national recognition at a ceremony due to be broadcast on BBC One in October.

John Barrowman, presenter of last year’s National Lottery Awards show, said the awards offered an unmissable opportunity to give outstanding projects their time to shine.

He said: “All these fantastic projects are funded by National Lottery players - every one of you should feel proud to raise an astounding £34 million a week, which provides much needed support to such life-changing work.”

National Lottery Awards are given across seven categories; sport, heritage, arts, environment, health, education and voluntary/charity, to reflect the range of funding that the lottery gives out.

Anyone who wishes to nominate their favourite project in this year’s National Lottery Awards should tweet @LottoGoodCauses with suggestions or call 0207 2933599.

Entries must be received by midnight on March 9.