SIX community projects in Barnsley have won a share of more than £340,000 of lottery funding.
The largest amount has gone to a scheme run by DIAL to provide advice and guidance for people with disabilities.
It received a cash boost of £194,494 for a project to provide outreach community workshops and local peer support networks to help service users tackle issues themselves and become more independent.
DIAL is one of six local schemes to receive a share of £344,237 of funding awarded by the Big Lottery Fund this week, which distributes money raised by National Lottery players back into communities.
Jill Morton, development manager at DIAL Barnsley, said: “We are delighted to be able to continue providing much needed support for disabled people living in Barnsley, thanks to the money raised by National Lottery players.
“The project, which starts in October, aims to enable and inspire people to support themselves and increase their independence.”
Romero Communities' based at St Helen's Church on Laithes Lane at Athersley won a major share of the cash. The charity, founded 13 years ago, received £110,624 to provide support and guidance sessions for local people who are disadvantaged.
Caroline Parker, who has been involved since the charity's inception, said the financial help will be used over two years to pay for two sessional workers and to develop the charity. She said: "This money will make a huge difference to the work we can do.
"It will help us give people the tools to help themselves. We see a lot of people with a lot of different problems. It can be a bit of a tangle of problems that people come with and if we can help sort out one, the rest can fall in to place and it's knowing what to address first.
"People come here and do not know where to start and have been going round in a circle at home alone. "We support people at a time when they need it most. It's knowing that if they have a problem it's somewhere to go and share that with someone, confidentially, and begin to start unpicking it."
Worsbrough Common Primary's lifestyle project was awarded £9,600 to run a healthy lifestyles activity programme and St Helen's Catholic Primary School also benefited. It means outdoor play equipment can now be installed at the Hoyland school with a £9,995 boost for its 'Fun and Fitness' project.
Further afield, a 'Digital Friends Initiative' project at Thurnscoe was handed £9,732 to run digital technology skills sessions for local people and Thurnscoe Tenants and Residents Association's received £9,792 to fund fitness, dance, crafts and sports activities for young people.
James Harcourt, from the Big Lottery Fund, said: "We are proud to give National Lottery money to local projects that make a difference in their communities. Whether £500 or £500,000, our funding is used to run amazing projects led by local people.
"When you hear about projects like these you realise the incredible impact the money generated by National Lottery players has had on communities across England. It really is life changing."
