Close to 60 voluntary groups in Bury have been given a boost to help them with their work to improve people's lives.

Money from the LET’S Do It! Community Fund will be used to support 58 groups to offer a range of activities related to exercise, mental health, meals and e-learning.

The council has made £100,000 from its budget available for "vital community activity" in each of the borough’s neighbourhoods to "support the delivery of the priorities of the LET’S Do It! Community Strategy".

More than 80 applications were received from voluntary and community groups across the borough.

The funding allocations were determined by a combination of scoring through workers at the Bury Voluntary and Community Faith Alliance, public services working in each of the neighbourhoods drawn from Six Town Housing, public health, the Beacon service and from councillors in each neighbourhood.

A winter youth club, "winter warmers" lunch clubs and community café schemes, and digital inclusion schemes, including expansion into a homework club, will receive funding.

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Physical activity sessions for "communities of experience who traditionally don’t access mainstream provision" and initiatives to increase civic pride will also be supported.

Tailored support for people with learning disabilities to keep well and connected, and classes to increase confidence and ability in reading will be backed by the scheme too.

And support will be provided to upskill isolated young people in and schemes to provide free sports, as well as to environmental improvement works to increase walking, access and means for "Friends of" groups to increase their activity.

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Cllr Richard Gold, cabinet member for communities and finance, said: “The number and breadth of applications received through the LET’S Do It! Community Fund shows the range of great activities that groups in neighbourhoods across the borough deliver to support local people.

“I’m delighted that we’ve been able to support the successful groups to deliver initiatives that provide targeted assistance to address local priorities and improve lives of Bury residents.

“I’d like to thank all those involved in these groups, and our wider voluntary and community sector for all of your work during another busy year.

"I look forward to seeing these schemes first hand over the coming months and encourage everyone to get involved with local community activity – make it your new year’s resolution!”

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More details will be shared about the successful schemes including how people can get involved.

Residents can also get involved with community groups through The Bury Directory at theburydirectory.co.uk.

For more information about volunteering visit buryvcfa.org.uk/volunteering.