Green grants for Coleraine groups

COMMUNITIES in the Coleraine area are being encouraged to discover wildlife on their doorstep as the Big Lottery Fund prepares to plough £2 million of good cause cash into improving the environment through protecting and creating wildlife habitats for everyone to enjoy.

Launching on BBC's Springwatch show last week, the Big Lottery Fund's Community Wildlife funding programme will offer grants of between 300 and 10,000 to projects that bring communities together to improve or protect the natural environment by raising awareness of threatened wildlife or places.

Chris Packham, BBC Springwatch Presenter, said: "It's wonderful that you can get out and celebrate and protect the wildlife in your local area through this fund. Apply today and get your whole community involved."

From bird, bat or badger watching, to creating nature trails, woodland walks and wildlife gardens, Community Wildlife will award grants to voluntary or community sector organisations, councils, schools and health bodies committed to bringing people together to learn about nature.

Projects in Coleraine that encourage people to get more active and healthier through exploring parks, rivers and the countryside to look for rare or endangered species, or that get people gardening or on nature walks, and those that encourage children to learn about nature through play will all benefit.

Application forms can be downloaded at www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/communitywildlife