PLAYGROUND projects across the area are to get a big financial boost after South Lakeland District Council (SLDC) successfully bid for £200,000 of National Lottery funding.

The lottery grant will boost funds raised by local community groups and is a welcome addition to almost £1 million which the council has invested in parks and play areas over the past five years.

The local authority applied to the Big Lottery Fund to support playground projects in Kendal, Grasmere, Ambleside, Ulverston, Windermere and Sedbergh where SLDC is working in partnership with local community groups. The council will receive the money over the next two years.

“The Big Lottery funds projects which demonstrate successful partnership working and community involvement, so this is fantastic news for all the dedicated and hardworking residents who are helping the council to improve their local playgrounds," said Cllr Dyan Jones, SLDC’s portfolio holder for environment. “The money will make a huge difference, enabling us to complete some of the exciting projects which we are already working on and start transforming other playgrounds at least six months earlier than we’d expected.”

The Big Lottery money has already been allocated. It means five projects which will share £140,000 are now fully funded:

They are Abbot Hall playground, Kendal; Broadgate Meadow playground, Grasmere; Castlefield and Greenbank playground, Ambleside; Rayrigg Meadow playground, Windermere; Maryfell playground, Sedbergh.

The lottery money will also contribute £60,000 to a further three projects which will still require further funding at Lightburn Park and North Lonsdale in Ulverston and at Queen’s Park, Windermere.

“Behind each of these projects is a friends’ group, a village society, a residents’ association a town council or a parish council who get involved in consultation, fund-raising and design work," said Cllr Jones. "The council couldn’t do it without them but working together we can provide the playgrounds which our communities need and deserve."

The Friends of Abbot Hall, who launched a crowdfunding appeal to help raise money for a new and improved playground in Kendal, say the Big Lottery funding has helped them to achieve their target.

Melissa Lovett, a parent and member of the friends’ group, said: “We are delighted to have reached our goal in raising £120,000 for the new playground. We can’t wait for the next phase to begin and look forward to having a wonderful new playground in place for the summer.”