MORE than 5,000 Blackburn neighbours will benefit from the success of a pilot leisure scheme.

Blackburn with Darwen Council's sports outreach project in Shadsworth aimed to promote community health needs of local residents, including an improved quality of life and cultural harmony.

The success of the scheme was the result of nine months of hard work by the staff at Shadsworth Leisure Centre, led by sports outreach co-ordinator Phil Woodward.

Phil introduced 32 new activities, including kick-boxing, girls football and new age curling. He and his colleagues at the centre and partners in the project, received a national award recognising the contribution of the council in using sport and recreation to drive positive change in the community it serves.

Executive member for leisure and culture, Councillor Kate Hollern, said: "We are delighted to receive the 2002 Significant Achievement Award in recognition of the hard work put in by Phil and partners of this worthwhile project."

Phil said: "I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of setting up this pilot scheme at Shadsworth Leisure Centre.

"Groups or organisations in Blackburn or Darwen, who would like assistance in forming a community-based sport and physical activity sessions can telephone me on 01254 587242 and I will gladly give them help and advice on how to go about it."

Following the success of the Shadsworth pilot scheme, SRB funding has now been secured to enable sports outreach projects in four more areas of Blackburn, including Audley, Queens Park, Whitebirk and Infirmary.