COMMUNITY and environmental projects in Wiltshire have received more than £1million in funding from the Landfill Communities Fund.

Forty-five projects across Wiltshire benefited to the tune of £1,026,100.

Among them were:  Downton Tennis Club, which received £6,700 to install floodlights on their tennis court Stonehenge and Pewsey Canoe Club which was handed £3,300 to build a new storage hut for equipment n Mere Skate Park that received £20,000 towards construction of a new skate park and Tilshead Village Hall that received £15,000 towards the damp proofing walls and the floor in the village hall.

Mike Hill, chief executive of The Hills Group, the waste management and recycling management specialists, said : “The LCF is an innovative tax credit scheme that allows us to work with registered environmental bodies to deliver projects which improve the lives of communities living near landfill sites.

“We ensure that the maximum amount of funding is made available through this scheme each year and work closely with our partners Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, Community First and the Cotswold Water Park Trust to distribute the funds as widely as possible.”

Dr Gary Mantle, chief executive of Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, said: “Thanks to the generous support of The Hills Group, we have been able to improve access and achieve the careful management of our nature reserves.

“This has been of huge benefit to the wildlife and people of Wiltshire.

“This year we have seen unprecedented numbers of orchids and other wildflowers on our meadow reserves.

“Thanks to Hills, we have been able to achieve the precise grazing and hay cutting necessary.”

Philippa Read, chief executive of Community First, said: “Community First is pleased to be working with The Hills Group in distributing grants from the LCF which has enabled communities in the Wiltshire area to enhance existing facilities or to put in new ones for the benefit of their residents.”