NEW figures show that more than £2.5million of National Lottery funding was awarded across North Ayrshire last year alone.

A total of 53 grants were given out by the Lottery during 2016 which provided a vital boost to arts, sports and heritage projects alongside community groups helping those most in need.

The majority of the funding went to the RSPB Scotland who were in receipt of over £1.5m for a landscape partnership across the Garnock Valley.

A variety of local projects received National Lottery grants last year, including:

- £7,998 to St Peter’s Children’s Centre to fund trips and equipment.

- £10,000 to Friends of the Ardrossan Church of the Nazarene to establish a travelling cinema which will tour North Ayrshire community centres and libraries.

- £15,000 to the Scottish Maritime Museum Trust as part of the Illumination Festival at Irvine’s Harbourside.

- £112,700 to the Beith Parish Church of Scotland for their main tower, clockfaces, roof restoration as well as internal accessibility and energy saving works.

- £10,000 to the 55th Dalry Ayrshire Scouts Group to refurbish the kitchen in the Scout Hall as the present one is unfit for use.

- £104,184 for PRYDE which will bring the community together in Pennyburn, Kilwinning through a range of community services including: weekly music workshops, parenting classes, band development, arts and music therapies, CV development, self-help groups and a number of cultural celebrations, capacity-building events and science for all.

- £5,963 to West Kilbride Tennis Club to

fund for equipment, coaching and winter

venue costs for their junior coaching programme.

- £250,000 to Irvine Community Sports Club for Changing Room and Gym Reconfiguration.

- £9,894 to the Stevenston Christmas Light appeal to hold a Christmas celebration event for the local community with entertainment, gifts and a Christmas lights switch on day.

From today, these examples, or any organisation that has ever received National Lottery funding, has the possibility of gaining nationwide acclaim by entering The National Lottery Awards 2017 – the annual search for the UK’s favourite Lottery-funded projects.

John Barrowman MBE, presenter of the National Lottery Awards show, said: “The National Lottery Awards are a fabulous celebration of the UK’s favourite Lottery-funded projects as voted for by the public.

“The Awards rightly put the focus on ordinary people doing extraordinary things with National Lottery funding, whose efforts go such a long way and are indeed changing lives.

“National Lottery players can be very

proud to have contributed towards their fine work.”