A NEW wildlife space in the shadow of Wittenham Clumps is one of eight projects across the county to benefit from more than £250,000 in community funding.

The Northmoor Trust, which looks after the clumps, near Didcot, is to get £39,325 from Waste Recycling Environment Limited (Wren), a not-for-profit company which distributes landfill tax credits paid by the Waste Recycling Group, which operates a landfill site near Sutton Courtenay.

Wren is distributing £269,264 to the projects.

The Northmoor Trust will use its money to pay for a 'Gateway For All' scheme, aimed at extending access to the countryside to all members of the community.

Work will begin in the summer at the trust's Hill Farm base, in Little Wittenham, to create a wildlife wetland area, a courtyard garden containing herbs and medicinal plants and a sensory garden.

Ben Earl, the trust's director of communications, said: "At the Northmoor Trust, we understand the links between the landscape and everyday lifestyles.

"As part of ensuring a sustain- able future, we want to bring people closer to the local environment and create a sense of fascination about it.

"This funding from Waste Recycling Environment will enable us to work with a number of key partners to create new resources."

Matthew Cox, Wren project manager, said: "The project at the Northmoor Trust is a very nice one and it's a little bit different to the community centres and play areas that we often fund, but it certainly hits all the marks."

He added: "Wren is currently seeking applications from community groups for projects in Oxfordshire.

"We're looking for good community schemes and can offer assistance to groups throughout the application process.

"Guidance with filling in forms is just a phone call away."

Peter Cox, managing director of Wren, said "The projects that we've funded will all make a positive contribution to their local communities and environments, and we would encourage any organisations looking for funding to contact Wren and find out more about how the landfill communities' fund can help."

Other projects to benefit are an all-weather sports court at Bladon (£25,000), St Thomas Church, in Goring (£50,000), a netball centre at Court Place Farm, in Marston, Oxford (£50,000), a junior play area in Stanford in the Vale (£10,000), Stratton Audley Church (£17,500), Sutton Courtenay Village Hall (£55,440) and Mill Green in Wantage (£21,999).