A popular scheme to support organisations in Lancashire working to improve their local communities has now handed out a total of more than £200,000 since it was set up in 2013 after Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw approved grants worth more than £8,000 across Preston, Chorley and West Lancashire.

The Community Action Fund (CAF), now in its fourth year, allows local groups and projects whose work benefits their local area and supports the Commissioner's policing priorities to bid for grants of up to £2,500.
The latest successful applicants include a range of projects to support victims of domestic abuse and online safety courses for vulnerable adults.

Mr Grunshaw said: "My Community Action Fund has gone from strength to strength over the last three years and has now helped more than 120 projects right across Lancashire.

"I am delighted with the success of the scheme so far, which has made a real difference to lives of residents by supporting efforts to tackle crime and re-offending, protect vulnerable people and support victims of crime.

"There is still more than £30,000 on offer for organisations who meet the criteria for the scheme, details of which are on my website, and I would encourage interested groups to get in touch and apply."

Back in July, the Commissioner announced he was making a total of £75,000 available in 2016/17. The latest successful applicants to the scheme include:


· Lancashire Sports and Arts Foundation - £2,400 to provide diversionary activities to young people in pre-identified local parks in the Preston area

· West Lancashire ARK - £2,450 to support work with ex-offenders, homeless people and recovering substance misusers, offering guidance, advice and support

· Burscough Hub - £875 to run online safety sessions in West Lancashire including advice on online relationships, social media, guidance for supervising young people on the internet and protecting yourself against fraud

· Saheliyaan Asian Women's Forum - £1,740 to purchase IT equipment to further the support provided for victims of domestic abuse in Chorley

· Men Against Violence - £740 towards the cost of hosting an event raising awareness of domestic abuse and human trafficking

For more details about the Community Action Fund, including funding criteria and how to apply, visit www.lancashire-pcc.gov.uk/our-money/grant-funding/community-action-fund/ or contact Lancashire Partnership Against Crime (LANPAC), which administrates the scheme on behalf of the Police and Crime Commissioner's Office, by calling 01772 412733 or emailing lanpac@lancashire.pnn.police.uk<mail....pnn.police.uk>
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Community Action Fund - lancashire-pcc.gov.uk
www.lancashire-pcc.gov.uk