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Over 10,000 Glaswegians benefit from Lottery money

Two organisations based in Govan and Woodlands, striving to improve and strengthen their communities through people led activities, were awarded a share in £232,323 lottery money yesterday.

The Big Lottery Fund’s medium grants for community-led activity, which launched in November last year, aims to address inequalities in Scotland by supporting ordinary people to implement positive change in their areas.

Govan Fair Association Limited (GFA) is celebrating three years’ new funding and aims to bring together various community groups to learn about the heritage and culture of Govan through an annual fair dating back to 1756.

An award of £83,400 will fund a programme of workshops equipping volunteers from some of the most challenged groups in the community with new skills to help run the Fair. The GFA hopes to reach nearly 700 people from groups such as the long-term unemployed, young people, older people, Govan’s African and Polish communities and asylum seekers and refugees new to Govan.

Unemployed people will take part in the first workshops and will then be trained to facilitate future workshops and pass on what they have learned. The organisation will support volunteers to event manage the Fair; market and publicise it, write programmes, produce social media, film and photography, build floats, make costumes and choreograph dances.

In a Glasgow community where people are facing big challenges, Lord James Stringfellow, GFA Chair explained the difference this Lottery funding will make: "In this, our 260th anniversary year, The Govan Fair Association committee volunteers have now even more to celebrate with the success of our Big Lottery Fund application for our ‘The Treasure in our Midst’ project. Over the next three years, we hope every single resident of Govan regardless of their age, where they come from, or where they are going to in the future, is aware of the value of their historic Govan Fair.

“It is one of the oldest Fairs of its kind in Europe and it has struggled since the decline of shipbuilding on Glasgow's River Clyde. We will use this funding to run an outreach and education programme - teaching everyone about their own history and encouraging them to take care of the precious treasure in their midst for the next 260 years and more."

Ed Hart, Govan Fair volunteer, said: “Not only is this is a valuable opportunity for me, where I can utilise my talents in producing publications, but it will also give many young people in Govan, who may have been unemployed for a long time, the chance to develop new skills in media, crafts, programme design and event management. This project is really important for an area of Glasgow, which is trying to turn itself around.”

The Woodlands Community Development Trust (WCDT), which is also celebrating with £148,923 of funding over three year, is focused on the long-term regeneration of the Woodlands area; both environmentally and economically. They offer local residents an opportunity to take part in both horticulture activities and development of the area.

Tim Cowen WCDT’s manager, explained how the Trust is always looking at ways to improve the Woodlands area and get the local community involved “The Big Lottery funding will make a huge difference to our work, allowing us to further develop Woodlands Community Garden as both an outdoor community hub and therapeutic space. Our free pop-up café, which is busier than ever, offers an alternative model to food-banks and is centred round a shared meal cooked using fresh ingredients, including those grown in our own garden. Thanks to this funding we will be able to meet the increased demand and expand the support and training we can provide to our volunteers."

The Woodlands Community Development Trust hopes to reach just over 10,000 people in the area over the three years with 115 people volunteering.

Katherine, who volunteers at the Woodlands Community Garden, said: “I had recently become unemployed when I first came across the garden. I had lost a lot of my confidence and really missed interacting with people on a daily basis. Since then, I have been volunteering once or twice a week, made many good friends in the neighbourhood, enjoyed day trips, learned how to use gardening tools and have even started growing my own vegetables. Thanks to my regained confidence, I have started valuing what is important in my life again. Woodlands Community Garden is a truly wonderful hub for the local community – I can’t imagine what my life would be without it. I’m excited for what the future holds.”

Malcom, a volunteer at the Pop-Up Café, said: “Volunteering at the cafe and meeting other people really boosted my confidence and made me feel more relaxed when communicating with others. I get an awful lot of satisfaction helping out at the cafe and am really pleased that this funding will enable it to carry on.”

Maureen McGinn, Big Lottery Fund Scotland Chair, said: “This funding aims to support communities across Scotland to improve the places they live and the wellbeing of those facing challenging circumstances. 

“In Glasgow these two fantastic projects will ensure everyone has an opportunity to contribute to this positive change. We will continue to work with communities and organisations to support activity which is people centred, strength based and has good local connections.”

 
Big Lottery Fund Press Office contact 
Boo Prabhaker  
Email:               boo.prabhaker@biglotteryfund.org.uk
Website:           www.biglotteryfund.org.uk
Twitter:              @BIGSCOTLAND #biglottery
Facebook:        www.facebook.com/BigLotteryFundScotlandGoes to different website

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.

• The Big Lottery Fund Scotland is focussed on helping people and communities most in need throughout Scotland through its five-year £250m funding scheme as well as small grants schemes Awards for All and Investing in Ideas.

• Since March 2007 Big Lottery Fund Scotland has taken devolved decisions on Lottery spending, the Committee, led by Chair, Maureen McGinn plays a strategic role in the future direction of the Fund in Scotland.

• Since June 2004 we have awarded over £8 billion to projects across the UK that change the lives of millions of people. Every year we fund 13,000 small local projects tackling big social problems like poor mental health and homelessness.

• 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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