£480k funding for Shropshire villages will be spent in three years

Two major new projects – which are aimed at personal finance education and supporting local businesses – will be among those backed by £480,000 of Big Lottery funding.

The money, initially awarded six years ago, is ring-fenced for long-term community projects in Gobowen, St Martins and Weston Rhyn.

In the past two years, projects set up have included the Community Chest small grants scheme and the Big Grants Scheme for larger projects, school savings clubs and community events.

The aim is to help improve the lives of people of all ages living in the three villages, and supporting local businesses is also a priority.

Meeting

Nick Heard, chairman of the Three Parishes Big Local Partnership which administers the lottery money, said the next phase of the group's community plan would see almost half of the money spent over the next three years.

He said: "The next phase includes two major new projects, My Money Matters, which will focus on personal finance education and issues, and an Enterprise Support programme designed to boost local business and social enterprise.

"The Enterprise Support programme will be supporting and developing local business, social enterprise and the local economy."

He said the current projects introduced two years ago will continue. A public meeting will be held on September 28 at 7pm at St John's Church in Weston Rhyn to formally launch the next three years activities. People who live or work in the three communities can go along and find out more about the next phase of the community plan.

Mr Heard said: "Three Parishes Big Local is a community-led programme and our public meeting will give local people the opportunity to come along and find out about the community plan for the next three years, and to share their ideas with the partnership.

"We are also asking local businesses and social enterprises which are interested in the Enterprise Support programme to get in touch."