A COMMUNITY project sparked by the murder of Bolton schoolboy Dillon Hull today received a huge lottery cash boost. A donation of more than £100,000 will help build a new community centre on the Deane estate where the five-year-old was shot to death. It has been awarded as a positive lasting tribute to Dillon and forms part of more than half a million pounds heading for Bolton charities. The boy's killing in August highlighted some of the worst problems associated with the Deane area and reinforced negative images of the district.

But the tragedy spurred local residents into action in a bid to create a better and safer environment for their children.

Now a grant of £107,073 has been secured by the Willows Resident and Community Board to help replace the dilapidated and inadequate Willows Community Centre on Back Caledonia Street with a new building.

Community Board chairman Marilyn Guider said: "We're absolutely thrilled. We can't believe it's all happened so quickly but it just goes to show what ordinary people can do if they get together.

The community centre will meet children's needs with a creche and play room for the area's estimated 3,000 toddlers, and the new venue may be named after Dillon.

Mrs Guider said: "We want it to be a tribute to him, but we can't make any decision on things like that until we consult his relatives and have more meetings." The residents were supported by Bolton Council in their bid. and have thanked housing chairman Cllr Noel Spencer and Bolton South-east MP Brian Iddon for their help.

A community carnival is planned for July 4 to celebrate the good news.

Residents have already unveiled a bronze plaque in Dillon's memory at the junction of Jauncey Street and Bankfield Street where he was gunned down as he walked to the shop with his stepfather John Bates.

Four men are still due to face court in connection with the incident when Dillon died.

Determined community action by residents in Great Lever has been rewarded with a grant of £140,602 to refurbish a former library. The one year grant will help Great Lever Community Association restore the building as a high quality community centre. As reported in the BEN, residents battled to keep the facility open when the council decided to close it as a library.

Other major Bolton winners from the National Lottery Charities Board hand-out today are Bolton Bond Board and the Ethnic Minority Health Forum. The health forum receives £128,625 to fund a community based approach to health. by training volunteers and researching the needs of minority communities. It is a three year grant.

The Bond Board supports the homeless and people on low incomes moving into their first rented accommodation.

The £39,000 will help The Bond Board pay people's rent deposits.

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