Bury Asian Women’s Centre has hit the lottery jackpot in its quest to launch vital support services for the disadvantaged.

A £348,904 windfall will be ploughed into an outreach project to provide help for mental health sufferers and victims of domestic abuse.

The large grant from the Big Lottery Fund will meet the cost of the four-year initiative to be spearheaded by the centre in South Cross Street. The programme will also offer courses on healthy lifestyles, including food nutrition and exercise.

Centre chairman, Mrs Ayesha Arif, said: “We are overwhelmed to have received the Lottery funding. We will be involved in some projects which will empower women. A lot of women drop in to our centre and our new services will be a positive way forward in terms of providing more projects for them.

“We hope that the support services will be up and running within the next six months. Our application was to cover a four-year period and the money will also allow us to create four new posts.”

Mrs Arif is particularly encouraged that the funding will help benefit people with mental health problems. She said she was aware of many women suffering depression.

On problems surrounding domestic abuse, she added: “Such incidents have risen a lot during the past few years. Now, our new outreach service will enable women to be aware of the facilities and the help available to them.”

Mrs Arif said the centre had latterly been financially supported by Lloyds TSB, but that source of funding was ending.

Bury Asian Women’s Centre was set up 15 years ago and already provides a wide range of services including home visiting, translation, bereavement counselling and legal advice.