A CINEMA run by a newly formed community group, has received an £8,000 cash injection. Hambleton District Council handed over ownership of Hambleton Forum to a company formed by local residents, The Forum (Northallerton ) Ltd on August 1. They were awarded a start-up grant of £70,000 from the district council and a further £22,000 to invest in cinema equipment. Now the Forum group has been awarded £8,000 from Creative England’s Film Culture Fund to develop the cinema. It means a wider range of films can be screened and the venue can take part in film festivals and improve marketing. Over the past year the cinema has worked closely with Cine Yorkshire after being selected as a pilot venue for the rural cinema initiative - a partnership of the British Film Institute, National Media Museum and Screen Yorkshire. Cine Yorkshire installed the latest projection equipment so the venue could show the latest releases to the same standard as the urban multiplexes, and test local appetite for a permanent cinema in Northallerton. With money recently secured from Hambleton District Council, this pilot has been made a permanent fixture. Chair of The Forum (Northallerton) Ltd’s board David Allan said: “We are delighted with the award from Creative England - we weren’t anticipating such success so early but it is very welcome. “We really want to develop the services offered at the Forum. “Cinema is a key part of the offer - the community are really supporting the cinema so it’s important that we respond to this and try to develop it further. It will take time but we see it as vital. The cinema’s success will very much help to underpin the financial sustainability of the venue.” Volunteers are still needed at the Forum. Contact Mark Haynes on 01609-767056 if you can help. The latest cinema programme can be downloaded from the website; the-forum.org.uk or on facebook at; facebook.com/HambletonForumCinema.