A COMMUNITY project has received a huge funding boost from a Lottery fund, much to the delight of its members.

Duffryn Community Link has been awarded £1,453,861 of funding from the Big Lottery Fund Create Your Space programme for a variety of purposes - including tackling anti-social behaviour in woodland.

The group say it will transform an area blighted by burnt out cars, and fly-tipping, among other issues.

The money will also help utilise the land and buildings surrounding Tredegar House, while creating accessible space and enriching the physical and mental well being of the community.

This will include space for children to play and interact with the natural environment and routes for walking and exercise.

A group spokesman said: “Working in partnership with Keep Wales Tidy, National Trust and Growing Space, the project will raise awareness of the natural environment and the positive impact this can have on the physical and mental wellbeing of local residents by providing opportunities for families and individuals to become more involved in the community through building skills which are relevant to the development of the community and applicable to the workforce.

“Duffryn woodland has become a place unused recreationally by the local community and instead houses burnt out cars, fly tipping and hides other anti-social activities. The project will transform this space into a recreational and learning space for the local community, providing an outdoor training environment to compliment the current indoor training spaces housed within Tredegar House and the Forest Family Centre.”

The project will also develop activities that will train members of the community to manage and maintain the woodland and green spaces around the estate, in parallel with work with primary school children to ensure a sense of ownership, and provide informal policing to reduce the risk of vandalism and ensure the long term sustainability of the project.

Biagio Chiummo MBE, the chairperson of Duffryn Community Link, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be awarded this money through the Big Lottery Fund. The money will be used to inspire people to become involved in enhancing and improving their green spaces and local environment through training and volunteering opportunities and by encouraging the population to use our natural environment in a positive way. We are looking forward to making a real difference to the community.”