WIREDGOV

People across Wales will be celebrating their multicultural communities with events and activities through the latest funding announced yesterday by the Big Lottery Fund. 

As part of the latest announcements from the Awards for All small grants programme, a total of £130,886 will be shared across 36 projects in Wales (Full project descriptions available by clicking here). 

Swan Gardens Tenants Social Group in Swansea will use a grant of £1,222 to hold a multi-cultural day event in the local community to promote community cohesion. The grant will help fund craft and food marquees, craft materials, and a wide range of foods and ingredients from across the world to reflect the diverse nature of their community. 

Swan Gardens Project Officer, Fun Wong, said of the award, “I am a firm believer of community cohesion. Events like this will bring people together. The Sandfields area in Swansea is a diverse community of many ethnic minorities and religious beliefs living side-by-side with our Welsh counterparts. The event is being held to increase community spirit, and we got the community involved in a similar event last year, with residents getting involved to help organise the day. The grant has helped our community flourish, as well as bring us closer together.” 

Elsewhere, The Dyfed Permaculture Farm Trust in Carmarthenshire receives £3,092 to stage four one-day events encouraging local children to understand other cultures, traditions and global environment issues. 

Speaking in receipt of the grant, Michelle Lainé, coordinating the events, said, "We are very excited to receive Awards for All funding for our project “Blas y Byd”. During the project we are planning to bring a taste of the world to families in our local community, through performance, storytelling, dance, singing and workshops. We hope this will promote a greater understanding of other cultures and their traditions as well as helping people gain new skills in a fun and social environment." 

Other events being held include those from Swffryd Community Centre Youth Club inBlaenau Gwent who will use a grant of £5,000 to host a series of events for those within the community to celebrate 50 years of volunteering. Furthermore, Merched y Wawr Cangen Geler, in Carmarthenshire, will use £3,376 take their members on a series of trips to places of interest in Wales and invite a show on Welsh heroines to be performed for their branches. 

Other grants being awarded include Down2Earth Gardening Club in St Clears. They will receive a grant of £4,984 to refurbish a central community area that has been neglected, and will use the grant to fund community signs, gravel, fencing, seating, travel, and other materials. 

Speaking of the award, Secretary of Down2Earth, Dianne Paradice, said, “The Lottery grant will bring new life into our village, restoring the old animal pound into an interesting and attractive feature for visitors and residents alike, making the centre of the village a more attractive and appealing place for everyone.” 

Gareth Williams, Awards for All Programme Manager for the Big Lottery Fund in Wales, said: “Awards for All is having a positive impact throughout Wales. Money is helping to establish groups, societies and clubs, promoting learning, increasing volunteering opportunities and helping to build stronger communities.” 

Available in English and Welsh, application forms are available to download fromwww.awardsforall.org.uk or by phone on 0845 4 10 20 30. 

Further Information: 

Alexander Davies - Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 029 2067 8236 
Public Enquiries Line: 08454 102030 Textphone: 0845 6021 659 
Full details of the Big Lottery Fund programmes and grant awards are available at:www.biglotteryfund.org.uk  
Follow BIG on Twitter: www.twitter.com/biglotterywales  
Find BIG on facebook: www.facebook.com/biglotteryfundwales  

Notes to Editors:

• 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 £6.5billion 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, £33 billion has been raised and more than 450,000 grants awarded.