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Minority women in Wales brought together by the silver screen

Women in South Wales from minority backgrounds are set to benefit from over £150,000 of Lottery money being used to hold community events screening international films.

WOW Wales One World Film Festival will use £153,658 to deliver Women’s only film clubs and family pop-up film events in Cardiff, Swansea and Newport for women from black, Asian, minority ethnic and faith communities to improve their social wellbeing. Approximately one in ten people from the target areas is from a minority background.

They are one of nine projects across Wales sharing in £2,370,386 through the latest announcement from the Big Lottery Fund’s People and Places programme. A full list of is available here

The organisation has been running for over 10 years, and the Lottery money means that it can hold larger events that will bring together more members of the community for each event, that includes screenings of internationally-acclaimed films “Children of Heaven” and “My Name is Salt”.

Ishah Speers, who when she came to Cardiff with two toddlers in hand did not know a single person within her community, but the film clubs have helped her and her family begin to play an active role in where she lives.

Speaking of her experience, Ishah said: “Really, I’m new to Cardiff, don’t have any connections, two toddlers so it is invaluable for me to create connections and feed my soul and mind. What’s been so valuable is that lots of women come together. It feels powerful and change really can be achieved with wonderful people who can come together and talk and learn more from each other.

“There are people here that are asylum seekers. They come here and are in a country they aren’t used to, and are feeling very depressed, but if we have other asylum seekers that are coming to the Film Club it helps to lift them out of that depression.”

Jasmine Chowdhury, who also goes to her local events said: “It’s so important for women to get together and share experiences. Watching inspiring films and the discussion afterwards are powerful ways to encourage women to start talking about issues and challenges that affect their lives.”

Welcoming the funding, Director of WOW Wales One World Film Festival, David Gillam said: “It’s simply fantastic to get this support from the Big Lottery Fund which will allow us to reach so many more women from a wide variety of backgrounds with our Film Club.

“For more than 10 years we have been operating on a shoestring giving women the chance to see films in safe and accessible spaces. We have shown how seeing films together can allow isolated women to share their experiences. This then has such a positive impact on their feelings of isolation, mental and social well being, educational attainment and literacy levels, and their participation in community life.

“There is currently nothing similar to what the WOW Women’s Film Club provides anywhere in Wales, or the UK. Our Film Club brings everyone together; different languages, different cultures, and different families that breaks down barriers and builds better integrated communities.”

Elsewhere across Wales, Hafal will use £204,258 to promote and raise awareness about psychological therapies and interventions for people with a serious mental illness. They will develop user-friendly guides about therapies, create dedicated web pages and deliver a training programme for staff and interested groups.

Welcoming the funding, Hafal Chief Executive, Alun Thomas said: "Hafal's members are absolutely delighted that this groundbreaking new project has received Big Lottery funding. "Let's Get Serious about Psychological Therapies” will promote and raise awareness about talking therapies for people with a serious mental illness across Wales.

"Many of our clients have had difficulty accessing talking therapies, even though evidence clearly suggests that they have a significant impact in promoting recovery from mental illness.

"Thanks to this new funding we can develop user-friendly guides and online resources about talking therapies, and develop a new training programme. Through research and campaigning we can ensure that improving access to talking therapies is on the national agenda."

Across North Wales, The Outdoor Partnership will use £480,000 to improve employment opportunities in the outdoor sector for women and girls that are economically inactive, and improve opportunities for people in Anglesey, Conwy and Gwynedd with disabilities to participate in outdoor activities.

In Pembrokeshire, Milford Youth Matters receives £240,190 to provide opportunities for young people aged 16 to 25 in Milford Haven and outlying areas to gain accredited training and work based experience which will enable them to move on to further training, education or paid employment.

Highlighting the importance of the People and Places programme, Rona Aldrich, Wales Committee Member for the Big Lottery Fund, said: “Programmes like People and Places are making a difference to the lives of so many people in communities across Wales.

“It delivers on our promise to use National Lottery funding to regenerate and revitalise communities, tackle disadvantage head on and leave a lasting legacy.”

The People and Places programme awards grants of between £5,001 and £1 million for a broad range of community projects. For further information about the programme and how you can apply for funding, please visit www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/wales

Further Information:

Alexander Davies - Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 029 2067 8236
Public Enquiries Line: 0300 123 0735
Textphone:  0845 6021 659
Full details of the Big Lottery Fund programmes and grant awards are available at: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk
Follow Big Lottery Fund Wales on Twitter: www.twitter.com/biglotterywalesGoes to different website
Find Big Lottery Fund Wales on Facebook: www.facebook.com/biglotteryfundwalesGoes to different website

  • The Big Lottery Fund supports the aspirations of people who want to make life better for their communities across the UK. We are responsible for giving out 40% of the money raised by the National Lottery and invest over £650 million a year in projects big and small in health, education, environment and charitable purposes.
  • Since June 2004 we have awarded over £6.5 billion to projects that make a difference to people and communities in need, from early years intervention to commemorative travel funding for World War Two veterans.
  • Since the National Lottery began in 1994, £34 billion has been raised and more than 450,000 grants awarded.

 

Channel website: https://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/

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