ULVERSTON community groups are celebrating a cash windfall as a reward for putting up with months of disruption because of work to the town’s sewer system.

Rescue training, life-saving defibrillators and the town’s war memorial are among projects to be awarded grants by United Utilities.

The water company says it is handing out a total of £3,000 in community grants to six groups in Ulverston to say thanks for people’s patience during work on the sewers.

The groups, who each got £500, were:

• Ulverston Inshore Rescue, who will use the money to part-fund training courses for their volunteers.

• Crake Community First Responders, who need more defibrillators and equipment to carry on their life-saving work.

• Ulverston Town Council, who will put the money towards a project to refurbish the town’s memorial to those who lost their lives in both world wars.

• Ford Park Community Group, who’ll use it to help people and families eat and learn together more sustainably.

• Ulverston Rangers Football Club, towards the cost of renovating their changing rooms.

• Swarthmoor Community Group, to help refurbish the village hall.

United Utilities’ project co-ordinator Ronnie Smith said: “We’ve been in Ulverston for more than a year building a huge new storm water storage tank to help clean up Town BeckThis is our way of giving something back to the communities affected by our work. We wanted to support community projects which would leave a lasting legacy and there were some great applications. Look out for another chance to grab a grant as the project progresses.”

Ulverston Town Council clerk Jayne Kendall said the war memorial cash would help bring the £16,500 project to restore the Grade 2 listed to a conclusion in time for its rededication on Remembrance Sunday.

“It’s a very important anniversary this year, being 100 years since the start of the first world war. The memorial stands right in the centre of the town commemorating the many people from Ulverston who lost their lives in both the first and the second world wars. The Town Council has a restoration programme including replacing the missing stone finials which were lost in the 70s and 80s.”

United Utilities is now inviting applications for another round of community grants in Ulverston. Not-for-profit community groups in the area affected by the company’s project are invited to send applications in by November 14. The maximum grant available is £500.

For more information and an application pack email communitygrantfund@uuplc.co.uk or write to Jordan Grace, Community Grant Administrator, United Utilities, 1st Floor Haweswater House, Lingley Mere, Lingley Green Avenue, Warrington, WA5 3LP.