Some €500,000 in European funds have been allocated to NGOs in the south of Malta, Parliamentary Secretary for European Funds Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi said on Friday.

He was visiting the Saint Joseph Band Club in Kirkop, which together with another 25 voluntary organisations, is benefiting from the funds through the LEADER programme.

The club invested the funds in infrastructural works, including the refurbishment of the building’s façade.

The Gal Xlokk Foundation administers the LEADER programme for the south of Malta, allowing local councils and organisations to acquire financial aid for projects that preserve and promote Maltese culture while investing in green infrastructure.