[Gayle]

If that is the case Bagpuss why did the lottery fund a brass band concert in Rhyddings Park? There is no 'dressing up' to get the funding of any sort. If you try to 'dress it up' they see through it and it's more likely to be rejected. I apply for what is needed for when it is needed. On this occasion - working for Hyndburn Mela and Community Festival Association - I applied for funding for a mela and community festival. And a mela is a mela, you can't get away from the fact that people of all cultures come to it - we try to include something for everyone.

It's not some great con or conspiracy with the funding bodies - for example with the Arts Council, you ask for funding and as long as it's a well written bid that fits in with at least one of their six themes then it stands a good chance of getting the funding.

Equally - any of the other Big Lottery funders - as long as it's well written and is appropriate for whatever they're funding at the moment then you'll get it. For example the bird box project in Rhyddings Park. Over the past year we've had about £15k of lottery money to work with the schools in the area on a bird box project - we've installed designer bird boxes and we're produced a book and now we're running wednesday workshops. Not a hint of 'multicultualism' used in the funding application.