A POPULAR Tyne Valley attraction has been given a funding boost.

Haltwhistle Pool has received £2,500 from the Newcastle Building Society to tackle issues linked to employability.

It comes as the organisation has pumped nearly £55,000 into local charities, with the aim of helping hundreds of people to improve their job prospects in the region.

The donations have been made possible by the Newcastle Building Society Community Fund at the Community Foundation which provides grants to charities and community groups located in or around the communities served by the society’s branch network.

Stuart Miller, customer director of Newcastle Building Society, said: “The coronavirus crisis has had a damaging impact on jobs and employment in sectors across the North-East and we’re still uncertain how this will develop during the year.

“The society is committed to providing ongoing support to our communities and by focusing grant funding on employability, we’ll be addressing an immediate and very real issue for many, helping local charities get local people in the best possible shape to ensure they can benefit from an economic recovery.”

Since its launch in 2016, Newcastle Building Society’s Community Fund has contributed over £2.1m in grants and partnerships to a wide variety of charities and projects across the region. The grants are so far estimated to have had a positive impact on more than 151,000 people.

Bedlington-based Choysez also received a grant of £4,650 and People and Drugs, Blyth, saw £5,000.

Haltwhistle pool is a registered charity and relies solely on grants and donations to remain operational.