£690,000 Community Cash Boost For St Helens

A £690,000 funding boost for communities in St Helens will help local people to lead more physically and mentally fit lifestyles. The funding is the St. Helens share of Target: Well-being, managed by Groundwork, which is an £8.9m major new regional programme awarded by the Big Lottery Fund.

In St. Helens, eight initiatives will help to increase physical activity, encourage healthy eating and improve mental health too. Fiona Johnstone, Director of Public Health Strategy for Halton and St Helens PCT, said:

“It’s fantastic news that St Helens has been awarded this BIG grant. It gives us a fantastic opportunity to deliver real, long-term health benefits for people living in the Borough. In an innovative approach we will work in partnership with community organisations at the very local level to develop community-led projects that will improve mental and physical health and well-being.”

Cllr Suzanne Knight, the Council’s Executive Member for Social Care and Health, added: “This is great news and the funding will go a long way to building on the work that is already going on across St. Helens to improve the health and well being. It will allow the Council and its partners to implement new programmes over the next four years which will reach out to even more people.

“The majority of the projects, which include cycling, walking and allotment programmes, will be delivered through the community and voluntary sector. A lot of hard work went into putting this successful Lottery bid together and I would like to thank everyone involved.