Adam Lazzari People are being urged to make a last-ditch bid for a share of �20,000 to promote and enhance the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Applications can be for anything from �500 to �10,000 and can come from voluntary organisations, schools, businesses, individuals and town and parish councils.

Adam Lazzari

People are being urged to make a last-ditch bid for a share of �20,000 to promote and enhance the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Applications can be for anything from �500 to �10,000 and can come from voluntary organisations, schools, businesses, individuals and town and parish councils.

The deadline is August 23 and the grants are available from the Norfolk Coast Partnership. The money has come from Natural England.

Kate Dougan, community and external funding officer for the Norfolk Coast Partnership, said: “We are looking for people who are running specific projects that fulfil certain criteria. The projects must be of benefit to the environment and the public and be sustainable. We want to help fund projects that will not need more funding in the future.”

Projects will also have to be within or of benefit to the designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

This 450sq km area includes a coastal strip fro Heacham to Bacton, plus outliers around Sandringham and between Sea Palling and Winterton.

Projects must also provide long term benefit, innovative ideas are welcomed and new projects will have to be completed by March 2011.

The fund has been in existence for about five years and previous recipients include North Norfolk Astronomy Society, to undertake light pollution surveys, Paston Heritage Society, to produce a guidebook to the Paston area with information about the famous Paston family and The Glaven Valley Conservation Group, which received a grant to buy electric fencing which could be shared among different landowners to support grazing practices that conserve the lowland grassland of the Glaven Valley.

Mrs Dougan said: “If there are not enough suitable projects and money left over we will open up for a further round of applications, probably in September. We are fortunate to not yet be affected by the spending cuts and I expect more money will be available next year, so I would urge anyone who does not have anything ready this time to keep in touch with us.”

For more information, visit www.norfolkcoastaonb.org.uk, e mail kate.dougan@norfolk.gov.uk or telephone 01328 850530.