CASH aid of up to £1,000 is on offer to help young people from the Keighley district implement environmental projects.

Grants are being provided by the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust, through its Youth Environmental Action Fund.

The money can be used to set-up and deliver small-scale schemes which improve the environment, or raise awareness of it, within the national park and surrounding districts.

Groups of young people aged 11 to 24 in areas including Keighley are eligible to apply.

But less than a fortnight remains before the deadline in the latest round.

Several grants have been awarded recently for school-based projects, including the purchase of tools and seeds to develop a wildlife garden and the creation of a wildflower meadow.

Also, funds have been provided for recycling bins, a bike rack to support a sustainable transport policy and raised planting beds and a watering system in a greenhouse.

Sarah Deane, project officer at the trust, said she was delighted at the response to the fund.

And she encouraged more people to apply.

“It’s a pleasure to be able to give groups of enthusiastic young people a helping hand to put their eco ideas into practice,” she added.

“It just so happens that many of our recent grants have been awarded to school-based groups, but I would really welcome applications from any young people – including youth and community organisations which may have ideas to benefit the wider community.

“For example, I’m working with a group in Skipton which is hoping to enhance some unloved public land.

“Please get in touch if you’d like to chat about your ideas – I’d love to help you make a difference in your community.”

Grants of between £50 and £1,000 are available to cover up to 100 per cent of the cost of running events, meetings or workshops aimed at spotlighting environmental issues in communities – or to buy resources for practical work that will improve the natural environment.

The initiative is part of an Our Bright Future programme, funded by the National Lottery.

The next deadline for grant applications is noon on Monday, June 4.

For more details, visit ydmt.org/action-fund, e-mail sarah.deane@ydmt.org or call 01524 251002.