A COMMUNITY project has been awarded £191,000 to boost healthcare and employment prospects for disadvantaged residents.

The Skinningrove Link-Up - Skinningrove Forward project was awarded the money from the Big Lottery Fund's Reaching Communities programme.

It will provide a lifeline to the community service, a project based at Riverside Building, New Company Row, Skinningrove. Staffed by volunteers, it has been running for the past nine years.

The funding means volunteers can build on the existing work and develop the scheme to a bigger project, offering more support and services to the community.

Services include adult education and employment training, volunteering and the promotion of wellbeing through improved healthcare.

The project will also offer basic skills training, IT classes, environmental projects and a variety of community-led programmes.

Adrian Hill, vice-chairman of Skinningrove Link-Up, said: "The news that we had been awarded the grant was met by the group with tremendous excitement.

"We now believe that, after nine years working towards securing a sound foundation, this grant will give us the opportunity to go to the next level, trying to enhance the local community and environment by way of empowerment, education and, in the future, employment opportunities which will become reachable and realistic targets."

James Turner, Big Lottery Fund head of the North-East region, said: "Skinningrove Link-Up is an excellent example of how the Reaching Communities programme is bringing better chances in life to so many disadvantaged people.

"Strong community-led projects like these, which offer people new opportunities, whether it be through training, education, healthcare or just getting involved to help others, make a real contribution towards building stronger and safer communities."

The Reaching Communities programme provides grants of up to £500,000 over five years to schemes which offer residents better chances in life, build stronger communities, improve urban and rural environments and encourage people in healthy activities.