RESIDENTS of West Craven could be set to benefit after Pennine Lancashire was awarded a share of £100 million of National Lottery funding to tackle inactivity in communities.

Pennine Lancashire has been chosen by Sport England as one of only 12 pilot areas in the country to work with on a bold new approach to build healthier, more active communities across the country.

Pennine Lancashire, a partnership which aims to improve health and care services, said its priority group in the pilot would be the almost 40,000 people with depression or anxiety and stress in the area.

The partnership includes seven local authorities; Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Hyndburn, Lancashire, Pendle, Ribble Valley, and Rossendale, and also Blackburn with Darwen and East Lancashire Clinical Commissioning Group, East Lancashire Hospitals Trust and Lancashire Care Foundation Trust.

The pilot schemes over four years would see ‘innovative’ partnerships created to make it easier for people in the communities to access sport and physical activity.

Across Pennine Lancashire there are more than 100,000 people who are physically inactive, increasing the chance that they will have heart disease, a stroke, problems breathing, cancers and poor mental wellbeing.

By focusing intensely in 12 areas, Sport England and the local partners want to identify better ways to break down the barriers that stop people getting active, such as poor transport, safety, cost and confidence.

Pendle Leisure Trust’s chief executive, Alison Goode, said: “We are delighted that Pennine Lancashire has been chosen as one of the Local Delivery Pilots.

“This is brilliant news not only for Pendle and Pennine Lancashire, but for us as a trust as well, in that we will play a key role in mapping and delivering this pilot scheme, meaning that over the coming years we can work together to help inspire people to become more active in new ways that suit them.”

Councillor Mohammed Iqbal, leader of Pendle Council, added: “I’m delighted the efforts of Pendle Council and Pendle Leisure Trust have resulted in this funding. We will all look forward to working together across Pendle to achieve better health outcomes for local people.”

Michelle Pilling, deputy chair and lay member for patient and public involvement at East Lancashire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said: “I am thrilled that this funding brings added investment into Pennine Lancashire to support people with mental health problems to become more physically active.

“Everyone knows that exercise is good for the body but it’s also one of the best ways to improve mental health, it is widely known that a healthy diet and exercise are the most powerful medicine that anyone can take.

“We know that there are many reasons why people are inactive so I am delighted to see investment available for communities who do such amazing work by creating the right conditions that support people’s health and wellbeing, so that they can live healthier and happier lives.”

Jennie Price, Sport England chief executive said: “We are delighted that Pennine Lancashire will be working with us on this ground-breaking investment.

“We want to get to the heart of the issues that stop people being as active as they might like to be.”