COUNCIL funding will allow 80 local projects to carry out environmental improvements in their neighbourhood ahead of the Open Golf Championship this summer.

Spring clean ups, accessible fruit and vegetables and lighting up a Wirral religious landmark are all one step closer to becoming a reality after their bids for a Love Wirral grant were successful.

Wirral Council allocated a cash pot to each of the borough’s four constituencies to ensure the peninsula looks its best when thousands descend on the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake in July.

A total of £36,318.18 is being handed out to groups to carry out their work, which ranges from community clean-ups and planting projects to restoration or heritage works and community art projects.

One of the unique aspects of the Love Wirral grant process was the round of public voting, which ran for two weeks in January, which allowed members of the public to decide who they thought was worthy of the funding boost.

More than 8,500 people voted as part of the process, generating 33,769 votes for projects.

Now that the funding has been released, the successful applicants can now press on with delivering their plans and their progress will be promoted via the Love Wirral Facebook page, which currently has more than 500 followers.

One project successful in securing a Love Wirral Grant was SS Peter, Paul and Philomena’s Church in New Brighton, which will put its £500 towards the cost of creating a beacon by illuminating the Dome of Home.

Canon Montjean, Rector of Ss Peters, Paul & Philomena’s Church, said: “Not only will floodlighting the Dome enhance Wirral’s night sky, but will remind local people every day that this building welcomes anyone seeking sanctuary and interested in heritage.”

In Eastham, Love Wirral funding will be used to provide free access to freshly grown fruit, salad crops and vegetables for the community through the Incredible Edible scheme.

And in West Wirral, the Friends of Grange Hill will use their £500 grant to provide a new bench at Hoylake and West Kirby War Memorial.

Councillor Brian Kenny, Wirral’s cabinet member for environment and sustainability, said: “It is fantastic that so many local people and groups have got themselves organised and shown such a passionate commitment to making environmental improvements in the area where they live.

“The Love Wirral grant funding is going to be making a difference right across the borough and I can’t wait to see the results.”

In another demonstration of how the Love Wirral campaign is capturing people’s imaginations, local residents, community groups and businesses are coming together next week to carry out the borough’s biggest ever spring clean.

A range of activities are already organised, ranging from local litter picks, dog fouling clean-ups, sweeps of local beaches and planting and growing fruit, vegetables and flowers.

A full list of the planned spring clean activities can be found at wirral.gov.uk/lovewirral