WILDLIFE to arts projects which aim to boost people's social and mental wellbeing are sharing a £3million lottery windfall.
Big Lottery Fund grants have been awarded to 11 initiatives across the region, which were announced this week.
They include the Royal Voluntary Service which will get £353,234 to create music and memory groups for older people in Northumberland and County Durham to help reduce social isolation.
Other recipients include the All in Youth project which aims to engage young ethnic minority women from deprived areas of Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland and One to One, based in Spennymoor, County Durham, which supports vulnerable or isolated people.
Lyn Cole, Big Lottery Fund deputy director for England, said: “This funding will help people to unlock abilities and skills to improve the lives of local people and their communities.”
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