A SHARE of £110,000 is up for grabs to help make Halton cleaner and greener place.

The funding is available to Halton community and voluntary groups, schools, faith groups and non-for-profit organisations, who can reduce household waste, encourage recycling and prevent carbon emissions.

Last year’s grants saw 160 jobs created or safeguarded and encouraged 322 volunteers to take part.

Groundwork Cheshire, Merseyside and Lancashire has benefitted from the scheme.

Project Up received money to establish a furniture upcycling workshop and showroom in Widnes.

Groundwork’s project manager Jon Hutchinson said: “We teach unemployed people how to restore beaten up items of furniture and we donate them back into the community.

“This year we also delivered a series of roadshow events teaching members of the public how to transform their own furniture and avoid throwing out perfectly usable items.”

The money is provided by the Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority and Veolia Community Fund.

Grants of between £8,000 and £25,000 are available.

Projects will have nine months to deliver their schemes and will be expected to start work in June.

Visit merseysidewda.gov.uk for more details.