COMMUNITIES in the Yorkshire Dales National Park are celebrating after getting cash windfalls to help them improve the environment.

A total of 36 projects have received £175,000 from the Park's Sustainable Development Fund (SDF) in the past financial year.

Now organisers are on the look out for other projects they can support with cash this year. It must benefit the local community, business and wildlife.

The schemes have covered a wide range and received money ranging from a few hundred pounds to thousands.

They included £466 towards the restoration of an historic cobbled road ford at Newhouses near Horton in Ribblesdale.

The village of Conistone got £1,000 to help restore historic water troughs and Malham Field Study Centre received £6,880 to improve visitor accommodation.

Nethergill Farm at Buckden was awarded £1,136 towards compiling a National Vegetation Classification report looking at livestock reduction and Embsay and Eastby Nature Reserve got just under £1,000 to help fund path improvements.

Ingleborough Nature Trail was awarded £3,405 for an all terrain wheel chair to enable disabled visitors to explore the trail.

The Park’s SDF officer, Andrea Burden, said: “Uplifting stories lie behind each of the grants. Many of the applicants are working for the good of their community – and it has been rewarding to see how a bit of help from the SDF can go a long way.

"I’d like to thank all the 2017/18 applicants and urge anyone with a new project idea to get in touch; the SDF might be able to assist getting the project off the ground.”

The largest recipient of funds in 2017/18 was Broadband for the Rural North, a Community Benefit Society that works with local communities to bring hyperfast broadband to remote places.

It received £30,000 to help pay for the connection cabinets needed to bring broadband to residents and businesses in Howgill, Firbank, Sedbergh and Cautley.

Projects do not have to be state-of-the-art to win funding. Two of the more recent awards have been for car parking.

In Thornton Rust in Wensleydale, the car park in the Outgang was upgraded with the help of a grant of £3,740. In Sedbergh, the parking area to the north of St Andrew’s Church was enhanced with the help of £2,500 from the SDF.

Several applications for the 2018/19 funding pot have already been received, but more would be welcome. Enquirers can get in touch by phone - 01969 652337 or by using the SDF email address – SDF@yorkshiredales.org.uk.

An application form and a set of guidance notes can also be downloaded online: http://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/living-and-working/sdf