I am delighted to announce that projects across South Northamptonshire have received nearly £200,000 of funding from the pots established by HS2 Ltd to support communities and businesses along the line of route. The two pots – the Community & Environment Fund and the Business & Local Economy Fund – have awarded a total of £3.2 million to 55 CEF and BLEF projects along the line of route.

In our area, these include:

Thorpe Mandeville Village Hall Trust, £4,650. The Trust are to undertake a number of improvements to the village hall, replacing rainwater goods and rerouting drainage to prevent damp damage currently affecting the interior walls of the building. CEF funding will also allow for the affected plasterwork to be removed, and a damp-proof coating to be applied and the walls re-plastered and redecorated.

Helmdon Acorns Pre-School, £5,442. The pre-school has been awarded nearly £5,500 of CEF funding to improve the surface of the children’s outdoor play area by installing 78sq meters of wet pour surface. CEF Funding will help provide a new area which is safe, fit for purpose and allows the children to develop more fully by riding trikes and wheeled vehicles. The updated area will be available to children at the preschool year round and also develop into a facility which is used by the residents of the village for various events during the year.

Croughton Playing Field and Village Hall, £38,881. Croughton Playing Field and Village Hall is a Charity based in Croughton, Northampton. The project will provide a play park in the village suitable for 6-12 year olds. The provision of a new play park for older children will complete their plan to revitalise the whole village hall area and create an exciting sporting and activity hub for all ages.

Boddington Parish Council, £75,000. The playground has replaced old play equipment and has been designed and built so that it includes equipment for all ages and there is a strong focus on ensuring it is accessible to wheelchair users. The equipment includes a zip wire, wheelchair accessible roundabout, swings, climbing equipment, a tree house, a trampoline, a wide slide, which can accommodate combined parent/carer and child use, and picnic tables.

Marston St Lawrence Village Hall, £74,999. The charity has been awarded CEF funding to restore and improve the village hall. The project is specifically aimed at providing comfortable and attractive community facilities for sporting activities, arts, crafts, social and private functions. It has also been designed to be sustainable, both in terms of environmental impact, operating costs and appeal to the community.

I have written to all parishes along the line of route in South Northamptonshire to invite them to seek funding for further projects, and I am happy to support in whatever way that I can.