Big Lottery Fund: Small grants make big difference to 57 groups across Yorkshire
A project that supports children in care and foster carers, a neighbourhood history scheme, a community library and music sessions for people with dementia are just some of the varied range of community projects receiving Lottery good cause cash today.
Some 57 groups across Yorkshire and the Humber are celebrating after sharing over £446,000 from the Big Lottery Fund’s most popular grants scheme, Awards for All.
The Association of Barnsley Foster Carers has received just over £6,000 to provide a range of educational and recreational outings and events to help reduce any sense of isolation and stigma the children and young people may be feeling, and increase the confidence of foster carers.
John Jones of the Association of Barnsley Foster Carers said: “This funding will provide educational and recreational events for Barnsley's looked after children and young people along with their carers. This project hopes to form vital links between the children and young people and their carers, so the children can share their life experiences and build up their confidence and self-esteem, while the carers can share their ideas, skills and practices. We hope this will benefit our looked after children and young people and help carers to provide the best possible care.
“We would like to thank the Big Lottery Fund for their help, assistance and guidance during the application process, which has allowed us to make our project a reality.”
Also receiving funding is Neighbourhood Ventures in Bradford, who will use their £5,055 grant to support residents of a local housing estate to research the history of the area, get involved in regeneration projects and look at ways of bringing the community together. Meanwhile in Rotherham, Lost Chord will receive £10,000 to run stimulating music making sessions for people with dementia.
The Calderdale Parent and Carer’s Council has been awarded £9,846 to establish a free counselling service for parents and carers of disabled children. This will help parents to develop their resilience and wellbeing, reduce their isolation and cope with specific challenges. While Embsay C of E Primary School in Skipton will establish a community garden and afterschool gardening club with their £5,981 grant. This will bring local families together and help children to bond through learning with their parents.
Vanessa White, Head of Region for Yorkshire and the Humber said: “The wide range of community projects receiving funding today just goes to the variety of projects that can benefit from our Awards for All programme. The application process is quick and easy so if there are groups in the region who want to talk through a project idea, please get in touch.”
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.
A full list of awards announced in Yorkshire and the Humber today is attached.
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
Follow BIG on Twitter: www.twitter.com/BigLotteryFund #BIGlf
Find BIG on facebook: www.facebook.com/BigLotteryFund
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.
• 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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