KEIGHLEY-district groups have received a lottery windfall.

Grants totalling nearly £60,000 have been awarded to organisations across the area.

The cash is from the Big Lottery Fund.

Confirmation has been provided of a £9,970 award to the Friends of Silsden Town Hall.

The grant is providing movable stage decking and high-quality sound equipment for the Kirkgate building.

Friends chairman, Ray Colling, said the new stage would be an "exciting addition" to what the town offered.

It will be officially opened when Haworth Ukelele Group performs to raise money for Manorlands in November.

"We are absolutely delighted," said Mr Colling, who added that many different groups would be able to make use of the new facility.

Other award recipients include Crossflatts Cricket Club, which has been given £9,600 to provide a range of extracurricular activities for excluded and disengaged young people.

The aim is to combat anti-social behaviour and improve youngsters' fitness levels.

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School in Keighley has been awarded £9,890 to improve its outdoor facilities, including the provision of messy play and creative areas.

Keighley Area Sports Association has been granted £9,999 to run healthy living and fitness sessions for families and children struggling to combat obesity.

Participants will be encouraged to improve their eating and exercise habits to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Keighley RZM Cricket Club, which has received £10,000, will organise a series of health-based activities for young people.

The initiative will focus on smoking prevention and helping youngsters kick the habit.

And Keighley Victoria FC, also awarded £10,000, will target young people too.

Its project will apply maths to outdoor exercise activities and use numeracy to help change eating habits.

In total, the latest round of grants has seen 163 projects across Yorkshire and Humber share more than £4 million.

James Harcourt, grant-making director at the Big Lottery Fund, said: "We are proud to give National Lottery money to projects that make a difference in their communities.

"Whether £500 or £500,000, our funding is used to run amazing projects led by local people.

"When you hear about projects like these you realise the incredible impact the money generated by National Lottery players has had on communities. It really is life changing."