A NATIONAL Lottery financial boost has been offered to a worthwhile Vale of Clwyd cause.

Sixteen North Wales groups are celebrating National Lottery grants to support their community to prosper and thrive.

Among the groups to benefit is the Denbigh Forget Me Not project, which will use £10,000 to restart its fortnightly sessions providing a place for carers, lonely and vulnerable people to engage and chat.

Also in Denbighshire, Pwyllgor Rheoli’r Adnoddau Cymunedol will use £3,000 to replace equipment at their local children’s play park.

Drosi Bikes CIC’s £9,975 grant will help develop a volunteer programme to upskill and empower individuals to combat mental health, unemployment, and social isolation.

Beth Ward, from Drosi Bikes, said, “We are delighted to have received funding from The National Lottery to support our volunteer programme.

"Our volunteers at Drosi Bikes are already doing an amazing job recycling and refurbishing old bikes, saving them from landfill.

"We are really looking forward to developing and refining our volunteer programme further to reach a wider community."

Meanwhile, in Conwy, Ysgol Dyffryn yr Enfys will use £9,895 to install a gazebo with seating for community organisations to hold activities throughout the year, and Coast Community Radio and Media CIC successfully applied for a grant of £10,000 to buy equipment to continue to run a community radio station in Colwyn Bay.

Thanks to National Lottery players, The Rock Works Academy in Wrexham’s grant of £10,000 will fund free music sessions to young people and adults with complex issues in mental and physical health, learning, and anti-social behaviour to improve wellbeing.

Agri-cation CIC will use £9,825 to support the community by providing farm-based outdoor education and wellbeing opportunities for children and people from disadvantaged communities.

Director Cheryl Reeves said, “Agri-cation has provided a unique and inclusive environment over the past few years.

"Students get the chance to benefit from nature while developing all manner of real-world skills in the beautiful Welsh countryside.

"Some of them had never seen farm animals up close before or appreciated our role in the environment at all.”

North Wales Horse Watch will also use £9,800 to provide education workshops to raise awareness of rural issues to the wider public, to reduce rural crime and environmental impact, while Wrexham Africa Community will provide £10,000 traditional African food packs to the African community to combat hunger due to COVID-19.

NW Nappy Collaborative CIC will use £10,000 to offer food and period poverty support to address rising demand from Wrexham and south Flintshire communities.

In Flintshire, Art and Soul Tribe CIC will develop wellbeing activities and strategies in the local area to support COVID-19 recovery in the community with its £9,450.

Derek Preston-Hughes, funding manager at The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “National Lottery players raise more than £30 million each week for good causes across the UK and eight out of ten of our grants are for £10,000 or less – going to grassroots groups and charities like these in north Wales.

"We know how valued their work is and we’re looking forward to seeing yet more communities finding out how National Lottery funding helps to change people’s lives.”

To find information on applying to The National Lottery Community Fund for funding to help the community thrive, visit tnlcommunityfund.org.uk or call 0300 123 0735.