A COMMUNITY group has won more than £38,000 of National Lottery money after they won a regional vote to secure much-needed funding.

Drop Zone Youth Projects, based in Barrow, were crowned as one of three winners of the People's Projects on ITV Granada at 6pm last night.

Staff and youth group members from Drop Zone were greeted by camera crews at their centre on Cornwallis Street, as they were presented with the winner's cheque for a total sum of £38,100.

The money will help to fund Drop Zone's 'Sphere Project' which will provide youth work sessions to educate young people on issues from emotional wellbeing to healthy eating.

Project chairman Mike Smalling said: "This allows us to keep doing what we are doing and it is down to the hard work of staff who have been publicising our bid on evenings and through social media and telling everyone about it.

"Sphere Projects funding got really tight after Cumbria County Council stopped our funding a couple of years ago, but now we are preparing to move to a new building, from our current location on Cornwallis Street to the Brisbane Park Annex.

"The community has really rallied round to give us a better future and we cannot thank everyone enough."

The People's Projects, ran in partnership by ITV and the National Lottery, aims to improve the lives of vulnerable people across the country.

Since 2005, around £36m has been awarded through the Big Lottery Fund, National Lottery and ITV/STV partnership to 770 good causes across the UK.