A PROJECT for low income families has been given a cash boost.

The Sunrise Multi-Cultural Project in Banbury has been awarded a Big Lottery grant of £168,353 to expand its services.

The cash means the group, which was set up about 12 years ago, will be able to continue its ‘Don’t be Shy’ project for the next three years.

As well as the children’s sessions, the project, based at Fairway Methodist Church, Banbury, runs adult classes and a drop-in centre.

Kamlesh Sharman, a member of the SMCP committee, said: “We are the only project in the county that provides culturally sensitive play activities for children in Banbury from ethnic communities, mainly Pakistani and Polish.

“This grant will enable us to expand our project to help more families.”

Sunrise’s Don’t Be Shy project is a Saturday club for children aged five to 13 from all ethnic backgrounds.

It encourages children to play together, and aims to create an integrated community.

Co-ordinator Assia Bibi said about 350 people used the centre’s services. She said: “The main aim is play and leisure because most of the Asian children in Banbury are not able to access after-school facilities as they go to the mosque.

“One of the reasons behind starting the Saturday club was to get children off the streets and stop them getting involved in crime and antisocial behaviour.

“It is all led by the children — we ask what activities they want to do and then organise it.”