WIREDGOV

Music therapy to help people living with Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia is among projects in Wales supported by the latest round of grants from the Big Lottery Fund.

Some 87 community projects across Wales are the latest to use small grants to make a big difference to the lives of people most in need.

They each receive a share of £356,017.86 under the latest round of the Big Lottery Fund’s Awards for All programme. (See full project descriptions).

In Conwy, Cylch Therapi Cerdd a Chan receive £5,000 to establish their music therapy sessions for people with Alzheimer's and dementia in rural Conwy, Gwynedd and Denbighshire.

Welcoming the grant, Gwyn Williams or the project said: “Cylch Therapi Cerdd a Chân are both excited and grateful to the Big Lottery Fund for financial support to provide a number of group music therapy for people with dementia.

“Research has shown that music therapy may positively affect people who have health conditions such as this, and may also be beneficial for those in the role of carers. We welcome the opportunity to develop a series of therapy sessions at Ystafell Gymuned, Melin y Coed Nr Llanrwst, where this service will be available for a limited number of people from the counties of Conwy, Denbighshire and Gwynedd; and we hope to attract further funding from other sources to expand the number of sessions.”

In Blaenau Gwent Cymru Creations receive £5,000 to provide a media skills support programme, providing participants with new skills to improve their employment possibilities. The project works to improve the wellbeing of its clients through one-to-one sessions that develop their creative skills, including writing and producing music, and making films.

Kevin Phillips of the project, said: “The Big Lottery Fund’s Awards for All programme has helped our company develop towards a media training facility that supports people in a deprived area of Wales.

“You have helped us with upgrade to our systems, buy in new equipment and train our staff. This in turn have allowed us to engage with the community and work with people that has limited options, but talented and enthusiastic about media learning.

Elsewhere, in Wrexham, Empower – Be the Change receive £4,989 to provide team member skills training to better improve the employability of existing Remploy clients.

Welcoming the grant, Joanna Clay of the project said: "The project aims to up skill unemployed individuals through the delivery of accredited training programs and support them to take up community based volunteer placements to fine tune their employability skills. The project will have a lasting positive impact on the individuals and groups involved and Empower is delighted to have received grant support from Big Lottery to make this happen."

Follow Your Dreams Limited in Rhondda Cynon Taf receive £5,000 to start three new workshops in South Wales working with the children with learning disabilities and their families.

John Hope, Operations Director at the project said: “Follow your Dreams Charity would like to express its gratitude to The Big Lottery Fund for their support through the Awards for All programme. The grant awarded to our Little Dreamers project will help the charity organise development workshops for children with learning disabilities in South East Wales.”

In Swansea, Action Bikes Cycling Club Swansea receive £5,000 to provide a sustainable bike hire service for women who wish to take up cycling in the Swansea area, and improve their support to get more women active by taking up cycling.

Karen Gibbins of the project, who is also a British Cycling Breeze ride leader said: “Cycling provides an opportunity for women to make new friends and lead more active healthier lifestyles. This Big Lottery Fund’s Awards for All grant will change the lives of many women in Swansea I am sure, and we are hugely proud that our project has been awarded.”

Elsewhere across Wales, in Ceredigion Mudiad Meithrin Cyf. receive £4,975 to design and produce a resource pack for Ti a Fi groups across Wales to improve the quality and standard of childcare they provide. Porthmawr Surf Lifesaving Club in Pembrokeshire receive £3,979 to purchase communications equipment and a defibrillator to ensure public safety in the area.

In Neath Port Talbot, Life After Cancer For Everyone (LACE) will use £5,000 to take members on a short break holiday to Brighton, and Newport Family Centre in Newport will use £3,844 to set up a new service which will allow children from separated families to spend quality time with absent family members after divorce or irretrievable family break up.

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 0345 4 10 20 30.

Further Information:

Alex Davies - Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 029 2067 8236
Public Enquiries Line: 08454 10 20 30 / 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, £34 billion has been raised and more than 450,000 grants awarded.