£20,000 will kick off Sandylands play area improvements - MP

South Lakes MP Tim Farron has welcomed the news that Shirley Evans, in conjunction, with Sandylands Residents Association has secured £20,000 to kick-start a major fundraising drive to improve facilities for young people on the estate.

The funding, secured from South Lakeland District Councils' locally important projects fund supports the delivery of infrastructure works which address priorities identified in local communities. Tim and local councillors are working hard to improve facilities for young people in Kendal and have worked hard to make sure the issue is a council priority.

Last week, £60,000 was secured to improve facilities on Hallgarth after the work of Tim and Matthew Severn and last year funding was given by Lib Dem run Kendal Town Council to Kirkbarrow Play area thanks to Geoff Cook and Alvin Finch.

Shirley Evans will now work with the Residents Association and Kendal Castle Councillor Chris Hogg to try and raise more funds to further improve the play area.

Tim said: "This is fantastic news and well done must go to Shirley and the rest of the Residents Association committee. Councillors all over Kendal have been working with me to improve facilities for young people. It is something I hear regularly when I hold my youth surgeries or hold my football/advice surgeries during Easter half term on the games areas in town. We have listened and then acted and this money will make a big difference to Sandylands, as Matthew's work will for Hallgarth and Alvin's will for Kirkbarrow.

"Local councillors work hard with residents, community groups and organisations to try and make a difference. It really is a massive team effort. I want to pay tribute to all involved.

"For Sandylands this money is a big leap forward but I know they will now really start fundraising to try and offer even more facilities for the estate."

Local councillor Shirley Evans added, "Thank you to South Lakeland District Council for giving us a real boost in our fund raising. We still have a long way to go to raise the money we need to give Sandylands the play area it deserves, but this will help us to unlock further funding opportunities."