A community group has been give a £500 grant for essential repairs to its building.

The cash for Rishton’s People’s Centre come from Hyndburn Council political boss Cllr Marlene Haworth's special £20,000 'Leader's Budget'.

The grant will help pay for unexpected but essential repairs to group's building.

This funding is critical for allowing the first floor of the centre to be refurbished which will allow the group to make it available to hire for community use, meetings, and more.

The centre is the second group to benefit from the new Leader's Budget, after Accrington's Awaaz group, a women's support group, benefitted from funding last month.

Councillor Carole Haythornthwaite (Conservative, Rishton) said: “The Rishton People’s Centre is so well used by residents that there was no decision to be made about whether we should provide financial support for the group through this procedure.

"The space provides important services for locals and to allow access to the upper floor will only support this great demand.

“The group at Rishton People’s Centre do so much fantastic work in providing a comfortable and welcoming space for local people to come together and build new friendships, combatting isolation and loneliness within the community.

"It is so important that we continually look to support these small groups and by providing this grant, we are helping the people at Rishton People’s Centre to make full use of their facilities.

"This in turn supports their plans to expand their programme of activities.”

Rishton People's Centre is used for a variety of community activities, from training and gaming to discussion groups and events.

The 'Leader’s Budget 'was created this year to provide Cllr Haworth with a discretionary fund to support key community groups that were experiencing financial pressure, support events for the general benefit of the borough, and to pay for additional council services.