The Journal is following the efforts of a small group of volunteers who are thinking big to make a difference with a £1 million grant from the National Lottery.

LEIGH Neighbours was awarded a £1 million grant from the National Lotteries Big Local fund.

Since receiving the money, the group has been working tirelessly to improve the community feel in an area of Leigh west.

Susan Gredecki is joint chairman of the Leigh Neighbours board which decides how the money is spent.

She said: “These days, so many issues affect our communities – unemployment, lack of opportunity and investment, crime, anti-social behaviour and health inequalities, all of which contribute to a breakdown in community spirit.

“That’s why I’m involved in the Leigh Neighbours Project, to help address some of these issues because they are the fundamental cornerstones of our lives.”

One of Susan’s particular concerns is the decline in the quality of local housing stock and one of the project’s main aims is to improve house prices in the area.

“I love living in Leigh and even though my community is described as ‘in need of regeneration’ it still has a lot going for it,” she said.

“The big issue for me and for many other residents is the quality of the housing. When I came to live here 40 years ago it was a thriving mining community with a real sense of its own identity.

“But so much has changed. I believe that many people want to see the area brought back to how it used to be – a popular and pleasant place where families want to live.”