BOURNEMOUTH has not received its fair share of lottery cash compared to other areas of the South West.

That's the message from the Heritage Lottery Fund's (HLF) South West team which is coming to Bournemouth on September 22 to encourage groups to apply for its cash.

The team also wants groups to contact them before the visit with ideas to get more people involved in the town's heritage.

The HLF has supported more than 16,600 projects, allocating more than £3.3 billion across the UK, including more than £300 million to projects in the South West.

In the past 10 years it has given £3,477,603 in grants to projects in Bournemouth but not as much proportionally as other areas of the South West.

HLF recently awarded a £17,200 grant to a project called "Pokesdown Club at 100" for young people to research and compile a multi-media record of the history of their youth club in the Pokesdown area.

Its Your Heritage programme awarded £6,600 to the Bournemouth Natural Science for a temporary exhibition to commemorate Bournemouth's role in the Second World War this year.

Last year two church buildings were awarded cash from English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund to pay for work on their roofs - £113,000 for St Edward King and Martyr at Corfe Castle (plus a further £21,000 for exploratory work) and £35,000 to St Mary the Virgin at Lytchett Matravers.

HLF has also made a total of almost £1.3 million in grants to the Dorset Wildlife Trust, including one of more than £700,000 which benefited the Purbeck Bat Project.

Clavell Tower in Kimmeridge Bay, near Swanage, immortalised in the works of Thomas Hardy, has also benefited from a £435,000 pledge from the HLF.

This will stop the 19th-century landmark from collapsing into the sea.

Bournemouth's biggest lottery coup was a £2.1 million grant from HLF in 1998 to refurbish and upgrade the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum.

Nerys Watts, HLF manager in the South West said: "Rather than wait for Bournemouth to come to us, HLF staff are coming to town to encourage groups to apply for heritage lottery cash.

"Before that we want to hear from groups and organisations in Bournemouth with ideas to get more people involved in the town's heritage."

Groups and organisations should ring Michael Clayson, HLF development officer, on 01392 223961 to discuss their ideas.

First published: August 13, 2005