A NUMBER of West Devon groups have been successful in the latest round of small awards celebrating the millennium.
The Millennium Festival Awards for All this month granted 233 awards to small community organisations throughout the UK, totalling £684,044.
Hatherleigh did well — three groups received grants including the Hatherleigh Skatepark Initiative which was awarded £4,000 to build a skateboarding park in the village.
The Hatherleigh Festival received £1,100 for an event this year with music from Africa following an instrument workshop with the aim of raising interest in a different culture and helping to tackle rural racism — see story page 7.
A youth group 'Up To You For You' will use its £1,500 award to replace a worn out pool table, table tennis and football table
The West Devon Play Forum received £3,350. The group supports and develops play provision in the area and aims to create new play opportunities for children. The award will fund a play celebration day named 'Global Village in Okehampton' and three 'Harvest' workshop days.
Broadwoodwidger WI will spend its grant of £1,855 on various items such as display units to be used to mount an exhibition on the community's celebration day. They will also be providing craft courses with the award.
In total, more than 1,800 projects have been supported in the South West through the fund, created by the Lottery to help celebrate the year 2000, to the tune of £3.5 million.
The awards range from £500 to £5,000 made possible by a £40-million National Lottery programme jointly run by the Arts Council of England, the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Millennium Commission, the National Lottery Charities Board and Sport England who are working with the New Millennium Experience Company to promote the scheme.