KEIGHLEY-district groups have enjoyed a lottery windfall.

Five organisations in the area are among nearly 350 across Yorkshire and the Humber to share in the latest round of grants from the Big Lottery Fund.

In total, £7 million has been awarded to projects in the region.

The Thinking Big Community Interest Company has received £10,000 for a ‘friends and family hub’ in Keighley. The project is aimed at helping families build relationships and increase their skills, and will raise awareness of support and services available.

Dementia Friendly Keighley has also been given £10,000, which will be used to run weekly dementia awareness-raising sessions for people from black and minority ethnic communities.

Grants of £10,000 each have gone too to Eastburn Amateur Boxing Club and Glusburn Community Primary School.

The boxing club will use its funding to deliver sessions, with a focus on maths, for young people who have been – or are at risk of being – excluded from education.

“The aim is to improve their aspirations and reduce anti-social behaviour,” said a spokesman.

Glusburn School is to spend its award on installing all-weather surfacing.

“This will provide pupils and local groups with a suitable space for community events and activities – enabling the school premises to be a widely-used community facility,” said a spokesman.

Haworth Riding for the Disabled is also among the recipients.

It has been awarded £9,152 to employ a project co-ordinator.

The post will involve managing the charity’s expanding portfolio of projects and activities.

Region-wide, projects to receive lottery support range from gardening activities aimed at improving mental health, to off-road motorcycling for young people with additional needs and disabilities.

James Harcourt, for the Big Lottery Fund, said: “Whether in a village, town or city, National Lottery funding is helping to make a difference, bringing communities together to help people lead happier and healthier lives.

“It’s wonderful to see the positive impact projects are making, showing what great things can be achieved when people work together to tackle the things that really matter to their community.”

The Big Lottery Fund is responsible for distributing the money raised for good causes by National Lottery players.

The latest grants round has seen a total of £41 million given out across England.

Beneficiaries nationally totalled 2,346.

Each year, over £600 million is given away.

The Awards for All programme offers funding of between £300 and £10,000.

For more details and information about how to apply, visit biglotteryfund.org.uk.