MEMBERS of the Bearsted Woodland Trust in Maidstone are celebrating after winning an £77,892 slice of good cause cash from the Big Lottery Fund’s regional People’s Millions contest.

ITV Meridian South East viewers voted for the project to win the award after a nail biting head-to-head contest for community votes screened on Monday on ITV Meridian South East regional news.

The Access For Everyone at Bearsted Woodland Trust project won the hearts – and bigger slice of the public vote – after viewers tuned in to find out what can do with the funding.

The project will now build a two metre wide pathway through newly acquired land to allow access for all.

The award will also allow the Trust to purchase a mobility scooter for visitors, and erect chesnut fencing, handrails and information boards.

Each night between November 26 and 29, two projects from the ITV Meridian South East region are being showcased on ITV regional news in a head-to-head battle to secure the most public votes and win a Big Lottery Fund award of up to £80,000.

Voting telephone numbers will be broadcast during the programme and will also be available on the Big Lottery Fund’s website from 9am each day, www.biglotteryfund.org.uk along with a list of the nightly winners. Voting numbers will also be in the Daily Mirror on the day of voting.

At the end of the competition there is also an additional bonus award of up to £80,000 for the runner-up with the most votes with that winner confirmed on November 30.

Sir Clive Booth, chair of the Big Lottery Fund, said: “I am delighted this Big Lottery Fund money is going to local projects for which the public have expressed their enthusiastic support.

This is great news for the area and our good cause cash is already making its way to the winning projects. These projects can now become a reality and benefit their communities for years to come.

"Throughout this week many more groups will have cause for celebration in this exciting competition that puts Lottery spending in the hands of the voting public.”