THE BIG Bolton Fund, winner of the Community Awards sponsored by O2, puts its success down to the links it has made with the private sector.

The organisation, which has helped scores of local community groups with £450,000 of financial aid in the last 12 months, said the relationships it has developed with big business will benefit Bolton for “decades to come”.

Karen Minnitt said: “We are absolutely over the moon. We have had tremendous assistance from Marissa Hankinson and she has helped us raise the profile of the BIG Bolton Fund with the private sector.

“We now have key contacts and links which have made a real difference and will continue to do so for decades.”

The BBF operates under the wing of Bolton Community and Voluntary Services, which was set up in 1990 to provide support to local voluntary, community and faith groups within the Bolton area.

The BIG Bolton Fund (BBF) was launched in January, 2008 to help create a permanent endowment fund for the people of Bolton.

It allows much-needed grants to be given to community groups within the Bolton area as way of sustaining the services they offer.

BBF provides grants to support many groups, including children’s activities and projects, activities for the older generation, environmental schemes and projects that promote health and wellbeing as well as activities promoting community spirit throughout Bolton.

In September, 2008, BBF secured a grant from the Office of Third Sector which meant any cash donated to BBF would be match-funded by the Government up to £103,000.

This year is the last year that the cash will be match funded and Ms Minnitt appealed to businesses to get in touch to take advantage of this while the offer was still open.

Companies involved with BBF include Cool Canvas, ROK Group, Balfour Beatty and Bolton Wanderers.