Winner Takes All: Two Folkestone projects compete for Peoples Millions

Two Folkestone bids are amongst eight local community projects that will see one of them win to £80,000 from the Big Lottery Fund in next week's People's Millions regional contest on ITV Meridian South East.

Up to £400,000 of Big Lottery funding is up for grabs for five groups in the region. The contest goes live on ITV Meridian South East's 6.00pm evening news between 26 and 29 November, with the Folkestone projects head-to-head on 27 November.

Two projects will be showcased each night in a head-to-head battle to win support. At the end of the programme, viewers will be asked to vote by phone for the project they think should win the Lottery good cause cash. Voting telephone numbers will be broadcast during the programme and will also be available on the Big Lottery Fund's website each day.

There will be one winner of the £80,000 award each night. At the end of the competition there is also an additional bonus award of up to £80,000 that will go to the runner-up with the most votes.

The People's Millions competition will run across ITV regions*, with a total of 90 awards and up to £7.8 million of Big Lottery funding in the hands of the voting public.

On Tuesday 27 November, ITV Meridian pits Folkestone East Youth Council's Brabner Close Park redevelopment project against Folkestone Sports Centre Trust Limited's Cool 2B Fit project, also in Folkestone. The BIG Lottery Fund say:

"If the public vote in favour of the Brabner Close Park redevelopment project, a new park will be developed to improve play equipment and facilities at the park and hope to encourage more youngsters to play football. They estimate around 300 to 400 locals would make use of the improved facility.

"However if the Cool 2B Fit project is chosen the Folkestone Sports Centre would use the money to encourage young people to be more active through fun exercise. Around 500 people would benefit from a fully inclusive dedicated toboggan slope and a young people's gym and the group would also start an after school club for children who do not take part in school sports."

Supporting the Brabner Close bid, thirteen-year-old Nadine Gallagher from Folkestone East Youth Council, who made the £70,000 project application, said: "We need the money to do up our local park. What we're offering is free and people can use it whenever they want."

"If we received the money it would enable us to re-level the football area - which is on a slope and make it as large as possible. We would also install new goals with metal backs and side panels to stop the ball going off the park into the brambles or adjoining gardens and protect the goalmouth areas with a special surface. Young people have told us that they want new play equipment and a decent football pitch - the nearest properly marked-out pitch is some way away.

"The money would also help us improve children's play area, install adventurous play equipment and a teen-shelter for teenagers." said a spokesman for the youth council, who are backed by local councillors including Lib Dem Councillors for Folkestone East Anthony Dunning and Martin Salmon.

Chris Kirkham spoke on behalf of the Folkestone Sports Centre bid. He said: "Winning 'The People's Millions' competition would enable the Trust to bring more Children's Fun Exercise activities to Folkestone, to help get our young people fit and healthy for their future - loads of great fun too."

Winners will be announced on ITV regional news the day following each vote. As with previous years, ITV and the Big Lottery Fund will use a low cost non-premium rate telephone number. ITV and BIG do not make a profit from the voting telephone numbers.