A PARKS group that prides itself on bringing a community together has secured a grant of almost £10,000 to continue its work.

The Friends of Roe Lee Park were given £9,150 from the Big Lottery Fund’s ‘Awards For All’ scheme.

The cash will be used to help the group continue to fund events, such as the Winter Wonderland, children’s picnic and Easter egg hunt.

Chairwoman Maureen McGarvey and events manager Jason Walker spent six months working on the bid, with help from Rob Walsh at Blackburn with Darwen Community and Voluntary Service.

And they were thrilled this week when they discovered their bid had been successful. Mrs McGarvey said: “We were extremely delighted for the residents and all the people who have helped in the park.

“The money will help us keep the events going in the park and to build on them. It will help us to do all the community things that we do all the time.”

The Friends of Roe Lee Park launched 13 years ago when it was decided the park was too much for the Roe Lee Residents Group to take on themselves.

Mrs McGarvey said: “With all the cuts that are going on we have lost all our gardeners so our volunteers go in and do it themselves. It keeps the community together and people are helping each other.

“It has always been a friendly group.

“It is a way of looking after each other because if someone doesn’t turn up for a few days you worry about them and check on them.”

Mrs McGarvey, a former Blackburn with Darwen councillor for Roe Lee, added: “Roe Lee Park has definitely been transformed over the past few years.

“There are paths people did not know were there unless they have lived in the area for a long time and remember them have been opened up again.

“It is not a large park but it is great for our community.”