GRANTS have been given to 22 projects to promote social integration in a borough ranging from park and garden improvements to boosting scout groups, arts and music.

They will share £68,500 from the 'Our Community, Our Future' programme, money Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council received from the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government.

The borough was chosen as one of five Integrated Communities pilot areas in 2018.

In September 2019 26 grants from the programme were given out.

Our Community, Our Future grants of up to £2,000 were offered to organisations with new projects to bring people from different backgrounds together while groups expanding existing social integration projects could bid for up to £5,000.

The cash must be spent by March 31.

Cllr Mohammed Khan, leader of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council and chair of the Our Community, Our Future Board, said: "We received a total of 50 applications from a variety of groups with unique ideas and a genuine passion for uniting our local communities.

“Having used our social integration funding previously to offer small-scale grants to community organisations, we recognise the powerful impact projects in neighbourhoods can have."

The 22 successful projects are:

* Immanuel Feniscowles Scout Group - Waterday 2021;

* The Billy Project - Covid Friendly Outdoor Gym (Women);

* BwD Carers Service - Wellbeing through Nature;

* Newground CIC (Blackburn BID) - Blackburn in Bloom: Growing Places;

* Arts 2 Heal - Yard Yaars;

* Friends of Albion Mill - Weaving Folk Community Art Project;

* West Pennine Slings CIC - Closer Together;

* Cherry Tree Woodlands Scout Group - Shaping the Future of Scouting in Blackburn;

* Relish (A project of Re:Source) - Relish Hub;

* Beggars Belief Collective - Life Library II;

* The Making Rooms - Making Connections;

* Corporation Park Supporters Group - Love Your Park;

* Darwen Asylum Refugee Enterprise (DARE) - We Dare You;

* Blackburn Festival of Light CIC - BFOL Community Drumming;

* Lancashire Wildlife Trust - Outside Side by Side 2;

* Note Weavers CIC - Shared Sounds;

* The Bureau Centre for the Arts - Fettle Alley Revolution;

* Age UK Blackburn with Darwen -Better Together;

* Blackburn Cathedral - Building Bonds Not Barriers;

* Youth Action - Communities Connected;

* The Garden Maze CIC- Eat the Rainbow Challenge in Action; and

* Care Network (BwD) Ltd on behalf of V/C BSL Come Together Group - BSL Come Together Group.