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Young people will gain opportunities to improve their confidence and get creative, thanks to the 96 latest awards sharing £732,285 from Awards For All yesterday.

1. In Glasgow, Epilepsy Scotland will use their £9,030 award to produce a short film, to be shown in primary schools, to raise awareness of bullying and hate crime towards young people suffering epilepsy. 
2. Crosshouse Early Language Centre in East Ayrshire will use their £10,000 award to help children overcome challenges in communication and confidence. The grant will transform the centre’s outdoor area with playground games, a storytelling space and Worm World discovery area. 
3. In East Lothian, Musselburgh Riding of the Marches Ltd, will use their £10,000 to celebrate an annual horse riding event. The funding will go towards ten life-sized model horses and each of the seven schools in the area will get the chance to decorate one. The remaining will go to nurseries, a care home and a centre for adults with additional support needs. ​

Find out where funding has gone in your area 

1. Robyn Friel, Head of Fundraising, Epilepsy Scotland, said: “Our Happiness Heroes project allows us to convey a difficult message to young people about an all too common problem. This DVD will encourage youngsters to accept differences, as well as, educating friends and family about the immediate and long term impact of issues like name calling and bullying.  The impact of such unacceptable behaviour has wider and more serious repercussions than some might think and this DVD will be a huge step towards changing attitudes through education.”
2. Suzanne Thompson, Teacher, Crosshouse Early Language Centre, said: “Children, parents and staff at the Early Language Centre are so excited about the prospect of having a lovely new garden to enjoy. The grant from the Big Lottery Fund will allow us to buy much needed new play and learning equipment that we wouldn't have been able to afford otherwise. This in turn will allow us to further enhance and broaden the outdoor learning experiences that are on offer to this diverse and vulnerable group of children."
3. Emma Thomson, Company Secretary, Musselburgh Riding of the Marches (2016) Ltd, said: “The award will enable the community, particularly the young people, of Musselburgh to work together on a public art project to celebrate and promote the ancient traditions of the town. There will be a trail of decorated and colourful horse sculptures will be exhibited throughout the town for all to visit and admire, putting Musselburgh on the map and keeping the historic traditions alive for future generations."​

An Awards for All Scotland spokesperson, said: “The smallest amount of funding can often make the biggest difference to people’s lives. Today’s £732,285 of grants will help communities across Scotland set up and develop a wide spectrum of projects run for and by local people. All of these grants are a great way to show the variety of projects that can be funded through Awards for All.”

Awards for All Scotland gives out grants of between £500 and £10,000 to projects that bring communities together to enjoy a range of activities. It is a partnership by sportscotland and Big Lottery Fund. Groups can download this form here www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/awardsforallscotland 

Big Lottery Fund Press contact: Adele Goodfellow

Telephone:   0141 242 1508
Email:            adele.goodfellow@biglotteryfund.org.uk
Website:       www.biglotteryfund.org.uk
Twitter:          @adelegoodfellow #bigscotland 
Facebook:    www.facebook.com/BigLotteryFundScotland

Epilepsy Scotland
Twitter:         @Epilepsy_Scot
Facebook:   Epilepsy-Scotland

Musselburgh Riding of the Marches 2016
Twitter:         @musselburgh2016
Facebook:   MusselburghRidingOfTheMarches2016

Notes to Editors:

• Awards for All is a joint awards programme from the Big Lottery Fund and sportscotland.
• Awards for All makes grants to help people take part in arts, sport, social, environmental, health related, educational and other community activities.
• Awards for All welcomes applications and focuses on funding smaller organisations with an annual turnover of less than £250k (except for schools).