Communities taking part in 20 heritage projects across Furness are celebrating after receiving a share of £50,000 to support their efforts.

The grants are being awarded from the “Barrow’s Heritage – Micro to Mighty” scheme by Westmorland and Furness Council, supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The underlying aim of the scheme is to involve a wider range of people in heritage by supporting organisations who are committed to exploring ways of reaching new and less engaged audiences.

Councillor Virginia Taylor, the council’s Cabinet Member for Sustainable Communities and Localities, said: “These Micro to Mighty grants enable people from all walks of life to explore together what life was like here in the past, and to capture memories in all sorts of imaginative ways.

"That can be making a film, writing or playing music, playing a round of golf with an antique hickory wood club or writing a seaside memory on a special piece of paper you’ve learned to make yourself."

Artists, musicians, bell ringers, cricketers, golfers, rugby players, school children and members of the Deaf community are among those whose projects are receiving micro-grants between £200 and £3,000 to continue their existing work or help new ideas get started.

"I am blown away by the number of volunteers and groups dedicating their time, knowledge and passion to these heritage projects," Councillor Taylor added.

"It enriches everyone when people of all ages, skills and experience work together celebrating the place where they live."

The recipients of the grants include BarrowFull, Cando FM Radio Station, Art Gene, the Bell ringers of St James’ Church, Artworks - Art4All, Barrow Cricket Club, Barrow-in-Furness Civic and Local History Society, the Dunnerholme Golf Club, Lindal & Marton Parish Council, and Friends of South Walney Infants.

Other projects being supported are: Friends of Artspace, Seahouse Media, Ormsgill Stronger Together, Brathay Trust, Newbarns ward community and residents, Friends of Ormsgill Reservoir, Drop Zone Youth Project, Friends of Bram, Barrow Raiders, and the Cumbria Deaf Association.