WIREDGOV

A north Wales woman whose only child died in a drowning accident is using National Lottery money to help bereaved young people and families dealing with life-limiting illnesses.  

River and Sea Sense (RASS) in Conwy is among 63 community-based projects across Wales sharing in the £232,774 awarded under the latest round of the Awards for All small grants programme (full project descriptions available by clicking here). 

Every parent’s worst nightmare came true for Debbie Turnbull when her son Chris was out with friends swimming at Lligwy Falls, Capel Curig, on August 14 2006. 

Within seconds and completely unaware of the danger he was in, the 15-year-old was sucked into a whirlpool where his foot became trapped before he drowned. 

“It’s been a terrible mental journey,” said Debbie. “It’s shock and absolute horror when you’re told the news. Unless people have lived through something like this, it’s impossible to imagine. 

“There’s nothing worse than losing a child and that’s why I do what I do now. He was my best friend and absolute soul mate. He was my life.” 

It was the loss of Chris which drove Debbie from Llandudno to set up River and Sea Sense with the aim of doing everything in her power to prevent another family going through the same nightmare. She has already used a National Lottery grant to help educate children about the dangers of playing in and around rivers. 

And now thanks to a further £4,985 from the Big Lottery Fund’s Awards for All programme, she will be bolstering RASS’s help package by launching a support network for bereaved young people and families dealing with life-limiting illness. It will include a website as well as creative art, recreation and relaxation sessions. 

“I decided to create this service due to connections I have made with families, parents, children and siblings who are bereaved and traumatised,” said Debbie. “I expect this project to grow in a short space of time because of the positive response I’ve had from professionals and individuals from all walks of life.” 

For more information visit www.riverandseasense.com 

Other groups receiving funding include Age Cymru Ceredigion which will use its grant of£4,600 to deliver strength and balance classes to members. 

Chief Officer Gwyneth Jones is thrilled about the funding for the classes which started yesterday (September 16) at St Mary’s Church Hall in Cardigan. 

She said: “Referrals for the classes are through a GP or health professional and delivered by a certified practitioner. The classes offer practical advice on how to improve strength and balance, possibly decrease the risk of falls and fractures and unnecessary admission to hospital, and how to cope if you fall and need to get up off the floor. 

“It is not just about falls prevention as we offer a holistic service and other elements of support too as clients can be referred to our services such as nail cutting, home cleaning and so on.” 

For more information contact Age Cymru Ceredigion on 01239 615777. 

Ponthafren Association in Newtown, Powys gets £4,450 to fund 20 weekly workshops for users of mental health services and people who are at risk of social isolation. Sessions will cover reading, writing and performing poetry. 

In Caerphilly, south Wales, Drive will spend £5,000 on setting up a Lakeside Coffee Shop as a social enterprise offering formal training for young people with learning disabilities in food preparation and customer care. 

Geoffrey Wood, of Drive, said: “We’re a Welsh charitable organisation that provides support services for people with disabilities, and we will be running the Coffee Shop at Parc Cwm Darran, near Bargoed. This grant will help Drive and Caerphilly Council provide a much needed resource at our visitor centre. 

“Attracting visits from schools, rambling groups, the local community and tourists alike the Coffee Shop will also offer people with disabilities the opportunity to gain employment training and work experience in this setting with support from highly skilled staff. 

“Drive hopes that this project will successfully continue to integrate people with disabilities in the community by enabling them to increase their skills, independence and self esteem.” 


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: 
Ben Payne - Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 01686 611 720 
Out of Hours Contact: 07980 914 898 
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  
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Notes to Editors:

• The Big Lottery Fund is responsible for giving out 40% of the money raised by the National Lottery.
• The Fund is committed to bringing real improvements to communities and the lives of people most in need and has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK. Since its inception in 2004 it has awarded close to £6bn.
• In the year ending 31 March 2013, 28% of total National Lottery revenue was awarded to projects. Since the National Lottery began in 1994, £31 billion has been raised and more than 400,000 grants awarded