A total of 28 villages across the UK are in line to receive up to £400,000 from the Big Lottery Fund as part of a new initiative run in conjunction with the BBC to revitalise rural communities.

Village SOS is designed to provide funding to six rural villages in a bid to help develop new business ventures that will boost the local economy, create new jobs and improve the quality of life for residents. Development grants worth up to £10,000 will be offered to shortlisted village schemes, including the creation of a new visitor centre in Gwaun Cae Gurwe, Carmarthenshire; a marine life and sea heritage centre in Lochinver in west Scotland and an arts and heritage centre in Caistor, Lincolnshire.

Each of the 28 villages will select a Village Champion - selected following a nationwide search run by the BBC - to help advance ideas to revitalise their local area, and ultimately help deliver the schemes. Sir Clive Booth, chair of the Big Lottery Fund, said: "While traditional rural village life is facing difficulties, we believe that many villages are sitting on a range of untapped opportunities which, with community backing, can be turned into thriving enterprises.

"The shortlisted villages are one step closer to realising that potential and securing Lottery funding to transform the fortunes of their local area." The successful six projects will be announced in 2010.