Horley Town Council has been given a grant boost of more than £8,500 to go towards improving a children's playground.

The town council was one of 29 organisations across Surrey which have been awarded funding totalling £242,019.

The funding has come about thanks to a grant by the trustees of the London Marathon Charitable Trust (LMCT) to the charity Fields in Trust. The LMCT makes grants to recreational projects in areas where The London Marathon Limited organises events as a tangible thank you for the support of those communities. Following last August’s Prudential RideLondon event, organisations in Surrey became eligible for grants. Horley Town Council's grant of £8,518 will go towards improving the children's playground at Horley Recreation Ground off the A23 London Road.

Other grants have gone towards groups and organisations across the county including Caterham Croquet Club, Tandridge District Council, Epsom and Ewell Borough Council and Fox Corner Community Wildlife Area.

Through their partnership with Fields in Trust, the LMCT made a grant of £1 million available to protect and improve outdoor recreational spaces to mark The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the 2012 Olympic Games through the Queen Elizabeth II Fields Challenge. The grant has benefited 105 Queen Elizabeth II Fields in total - 49 of which are in Surrey. This latest round of grants, awarded as Surrey Legacy grants by Fields in Trust, is helping communities to improve their local outdoor recreational spaces. Projects funded have included outdoor gym, cricket, football and playground equipment, resurfacing tennis courts, outdoor lighting, a natural play area and a new croquet lawn.

John Bryant, chairman of the LMCT Trustees, said: “Prudential RideLondon has inspired thousands to get cycling and The London Marathon Charitable Trust is delighted to now be able to help so many organisations in Surrey. “This round of grants means that a total of 39 communities in the county have now received LMCT grants totalling £627,104, and we look forward to helping many more organisations in the future.” Surrey County Council leader David Hodge said: “It’s fantastic to think that these generous grants will benefit dozens of our grassroots clubs for many years to come, underlining both Prudential RideLondon’s legacy for Surrey communities and the economic boost that hosting the event brings.” Tim Phillips, chairman of Fields in Trust, said: “I am delighted to see the range of projects and sites that will be secured and improved for local communities in Surrey as a result of our partnership with the London Marathon Charitable Trust. “Their generous support has allowed us to reach out to protected sites in the county and help ensure that they will be fit for future generations to enjoy.”