COMMUNITY are celebrating after more than £3,000 was handed out by the Lancashire police and crime commissioner’s Community Action Fund.

Project Black Minority Ethnics (BME) Lancashire and The Friends of Rose School, Burnley have received £1,800 and £1,500 respectively.

The Friends of Rose School, a secondary special school for children with behavioural, emotional, social and learning difficulties, applied for the grant to fund residential trips for pupils, taking them away from their normal environment and giving them new experiences.

Deputy head Liz Rezvani, said: “The project is weekends away, and pupils will have the opportunity to enjoy the countryside and learn about the benefits of keeping healthy and personal well-being.

“I want our pupils to have the same opportunities as any other children, bearing in mind the special needs they have. This grant is will encourage them to participate in activities they would normally miss out on.”

BME, based in Oswaldtwistle, will use its funding to run the Peacock Project – a series of monthly sessions to raise awareness of hate crime in the South Asian community.

As well as addressing issues of hate crime related to culture and religion, the sessions will look at homophobic hate crime and how that impacts the community.

Police commissioner Clive Grunshaw said: “I want this money to make a lasting difference in Lancashire's communities.”