COMMUNITY organisations across Dorset are celebrating after being awarded tens of thousands of pounds in National Lottery funding. 

The Big Lottery Fund has announced its latest round of funding for community schemes in the south west, ranging from the creation of a rural community cinema to the set-up of a breastfeeding support group. 

Weymouth College will receive £9,910 to fund Connecting People Weymouth. The project will be used to train volunteers to help their neighbours learn IT skills in the hopes of reducing digital exclusion and improve their access to services. 

Nigel Evans, principal of Weymouth College, said: “We are very pleased to have received the Connecting People Weymouth funding to train volunteers in supporting their neighbours to increase their knowledge of IT skills and further improve access to services for our community.”

Litton Cheney Parish Council will be handed £6,842 to improve the community playground in the village. Residents have been raising funds through events and donations and construction is now set to go ahead.

Cllr Andrew King said: “Our project aims to improve the playground and playing field in our village into a space that can be used by all members of the community, with a particular focus on children and families.”

The largest lump of funding of £515,000 was given towards the creation of a new village hall in Charlton Marshall in north Dorset. 

A larger hall and additional meeting room will allow new services to be established, and for existing clubs to increase their membership. 

The other projects to be awarded funding include:

  • £10,000 for a trailer unit for Wessex 4x4 for the continued provision of local emergency transport services in extreme weather conditions. 
  • Piddle Valley CE First School will get £10,000 of funding to create a variety of play areas for children.
  • Chesil Bank Pre-School will receive £4,277 to build their capacity by extending the opening hours of the pre-school. 
  • Okeford Fitzpaine C of E Primary School will receive £10,000 to create an outdoor fitness area for children and the local community groups. 
  • £3,090 will go to Blandford Forum Town Council to install play equipment in local play areas. 
  • Relationship support charity Relate Dorset and South Wiltshire will get £10,000 to refurbish the toilet facilities in its community building, improving access for disabled users. 
  • Dorset LGB&T Equality Network will get £9,028 towards its outreach project, providing a range of support to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community.
  • The Blackmore Vale Orchestra will get £921.90 to purchase additional equipment and pay for venue hire to allow them to increase their capacity.
  • Mediation Dorset will receive £9,225 to train new volunteers to become community mediators, as well as to provide refresher training for existing mediators.