REPLACEMENT boilers, defibrillators and a memorial stone are just some of the ways communities will benefit from almost £50,000-worth of funding.

The 3 Towns Partnership has announced nine projects will benefit from its Capital Grants Programme this year. Not-for-profit organisations in the Crook, Willington, Tow Law areas were invited to apply for share of the £48,000 funding pot and 16 applications were received. From these, 14 projects with a combined value of £65,000 were put forward to be consideration by the panel, made up of area action partnership (AAP) board members.

Sandy Denney, 3 Towns AAP co-ordinator, said: “We are really pleased to be able to help so many different community groups from across the Three Towns area with their individual requirements, giving local residents of all ages access to a wide range of opportunities in their local communities.”

The successful applicants were: Greater Willington Town Council, which has been awarded £3,004 to cover the cost of the installation of a memorial stone for First World War hero George Burdon McKean VC in Willington; Spectrum Leisure and Community Centre in Willington, which has been awarded £5,571 to extend the gym and create a new spinning studio; Rotary Club of Crook, which has been awarded £3,861 to install two defibrillators in the town centre; Tow Law Community Centre, which has been awarded £7,000 for a replacement boiler; Crook Cricket Club, which has been awarded £7,000 for a new roof for the function room; Crook Town AFC Youth Football Club, which has been awarded £4,473 for new floodlights; the Salvation Army Crook Corps, which has been awarded £6,800 to replace its community kitchen; Howden-le-Wear Village Hall, which has been awarded £3,290 for new boilers; and Hunwick Cricket Club which has been awarded £7,000 for a new storage building for use by the various groups that use the building.

The projects also attracted match funding with a combined total of just under £27,600.

Steve Buddle, chairman of Crook Town Youth, said the floodlights would allow the children to train at Crook Community Leisure over the winter instead of having to travel to Willington.

He thanked Susan Kitching for putting the application together, adding: “We are so grateful to the AAP. This will make such a difference to the children, allowing them to train in their hometown all year round.”