Nearly £250,000 has been spent across Redditch through a Commonwealth Games legacy fund.

A huge £11.8 million has been distributed across the West Midlands, with £246,577 landing in the town.

The funding comes courtesy of the Heart of England Community Foundation's Inclusive Communities Fund, designed to empower communities to address local challenges and create a lasting legacy from the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

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In the space of just seven months, the foundation has completed what would usually take around four years, managing over 1,300 applications for funding totalling over £71 million.

The fund, a part of the West Midlands Combined Authority's (WMCA) Commonwealth Games Legacy Enhancement Fund, aims to ensure the positives of the Games are felt far and wide across the region, not just during the event but for years afterwards.

Looking back at the success of the fund so far, Tina Costello OBE, chief executive of the foundation, said: "I feel so fortunate to have chaired the majority of the community grant panels, meeting new people with fantastic knowledge and experience of our region, and reading all of the wonderful applications we received.

"The range of activities is simply incredible, and I am so proud of everyone involved in helping us to deliver this funding to frontline organisations."

She added: “The diversity of the organisations and projects we have funded will drive change and create real impact—a fantastic legacy from the Commonwealth Games.

"I’m really looking forward to seeing this impact come to life in the coming months.”

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: "The Inclusive Communities Fund will touch the lives of many thousands of people right across the West Midlands.

"As Mayor, I want everyone to have the same opportunity to thrive.

"This fund and the wider Commonwealth Games legacy programme is putting money directly into the hands of these communities."