Peak District charity secures lottery cash for visitor push

The charity will partner with the North York Moors National Park and Yorkshire Dales National Park authorities

A charity has been given more than £500,000 to encourage more people to explore national parks.

Peak District Mosaic (PDM) has secured £557,955 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to deliver its Championing National Parks for Everyone project.

The scheme aims to raise awareness of three national parks among ethnically and culturally diverse communities.

These are the Peak District, North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales.

PDM said the cash would allow it to work with the three national park authorities to train community champions, support people to visit the parks independently, and to consider jobs in the environmental sector.

Chair Yvonne Witter said: "It is a great privilege for us to be leading this project.

"The support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund means that, working together, we can develop a programme and support diverse communities to learn about the landscapes and to access them for recreational activities and enjoyment."