Big Lottery Fund: York’s generations brought together with awards for all
A West Yorkshire community arts group is celebrating receiving over £8,000 in funding to consolidate and continue its life changing work, bringing people from different generations and diverse communities together through art, performance and games.
Video available on request
Verd de Gris in Hebden Bridge is one of 90 projects across Yorks and Humber that are sharing over £740,000 in funding today from the Big Lottery Fund’s popular small grants programme, Awards for All. (Check attached spreadsheet for projects in your area)
Since June, small groups with projects running in Yorkshire and the Humber have been able to apply to Awards for All for funding for on-going activities. The repeat funding pilot, also running in the West Midlands, has allowed groups with an annual income of less than £30,000 to apply to the small grants scheme for activities that have already been delivered by the group in the past. Since the pilot began, 17 groups in this region have successfully received funding to continue and consolidate activities. There is still chance to apply as the pilot closes at the end of November.
Vanessa White, Big Lottery Fund’s Head of the Yorkshire and Humber region, said: “We recognise that we are working in a particularly challenging financial climate, especially for smaller groups who may not have the financial infrastructure and support that larger organisations have. Projects such as Verd de Gris have delivered a really successful intercultural and intergenerational project and we are really pleased to be supporting them to deliver it again.”
Verd de Gris’ work brings Elders from different migrant communities together with local young people, to help them understand each other's cultures and generational behaviour. Using dance, songs and art the Elders share their stories with local primary children, breaking down fears, worries or preconceptions. Both the children and Elders who have taken part in the past have developed a real appreciation of different cultures and what it is like to grow up in a different time and country. This helps to develop trust and confidence between local groups and communities, as people from different cultural backgrounds get to know each other and try new activities.
Jeff Turner of Verd de Gris said: “One of the most successful and rewarding aspects of our work is bringing young and older people together to explore ideas, stimulate creative thinking, challenge negative perceptions, and share thoughts and views with the wider community. We often think young and older people live separate lives, almost in separate countries, with few shared references or ideas to connect or bring them together.
“Our projects have shown that young people really do want to know what life was like for the Elders, and are genuinely intrigued to hear about the journeys made and homelands left behind. This can be very moving and life-learning experience for everyone involved. Repeat funding from Awards for All will allow us to spend more time in schools and with the Elders so we can develop a project that is both deep and meaningful and informs ideas and attitudes for future opportunities.”
BIG’s Awards for All programme offers grants of between £300 and £10,000 to social and environmental projects that will benefit local communities and make a difference to the lives of those most in need. Voluntary and community groups, schools, health organisations and parish and town councils can all apply. Visit www.awardsforall.org.uk or phone 0845 410 20 30 for more information.
Further Information
Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 020 7211 1888
Out of hours media contact: 07867 500 572
Full details of the Big Lottery Fund programmes and grant awards are available on the website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk
Ask BIG a question here: https://ask.biglotteryfund.org.uk
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Notes to Editors
• The Big Lottery Fund (BIG), the largest distributor of National Lottery good cause funding, is responsible for giving out 40% of the money raised for good causes by the National Lottery.
• BIG is committed to bringing real improvements to communities and the lives of people most in need and has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK. Since June 2004 BIG has awarded over £4.4bn.
• Awards for All pilot – Small organisations are able to apply for repeat and on-going activities. The six month pilot is open to organisations with an income of £30,000 or less (according to latest accounts) and the majority of beneficiaries must be located within either Yorkshire and the Humber or West Midlands regions. The pilot started on 1st June 2012 for a six month period. Big Lottery Fund reserve the right to reduce the length of the pilot should demand be higher than predicted.
• The Fund was formally established by Parliament on 1 December 2006.
• Since the National Lottery began in 1994, 28p from every pound spent by the public has gone to good causes. As a result, over £28 billion has now been raised and more than 383,000 grants awarded across arts, sport, heritage, charities, health, education and the environment.
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