Blackpool's Mulberry Community Project celebrates after receiving £180k from the National Lottery

Mulberry Community Project based in Blackpool, will use the cash to ensure continuity of the work that has been working now for 10 years in the town.

Keith Stevenson, the founder of Mulberry, said: “We’re delighted that The National Lottery Community Fund has recognised our work in this way.

“Now, thanks to National Lottery players we will be able to continue and expand the work we do that has a massive positive impact on people’s lives. This is important because it helps people regain their lives and families and reunites people after a dark period in their lives.”

Mulberry has been running since 2011 and is staffed by six people and six volunteers.

It was founded by Keith Stevenson after he realised that there was no support for people coming out of rehabs and prison to help sustain their recovery.

The group now runs support groups for their residents as well as one to counselling, one to one workers and a whole raft of other support resources. Mulberry is also starting up a SMART group and the nearest SMART group is in North Wales.

The new funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, which distributes money raised by National Lottery players for good causes and is the largest funder of community activity in the UK, will see Mulberry continue to provide the support that we have built up in the last ten years and to build on this.