WIREDGOV

Celebrations went underway yesterday for the over 50s in Aberdeen with the news that the ‘Seize the Day!’ project has won the public vote and a slice of Lottery good cause cash from the Big Lottery Fund through the BBC’s Primetime programme.

BBC viewers voted for the Seize the Day! project to win an award of £473,000. A joint project between the Big Lottery Fund and BBC Scotland, Primetime has £3 million in the pot to go towards projects aimed at helping improve life for the country’s over 50s.

Seize the Day! won the hearts and minds of viewers across Scotland with their pitch to spend the winning cash on providing information, support and practical help for people across Aberdeenshire who have just been diagnosed with dementia (and their carers), especially in the early stages.

Anne Naylor, Project Leader, said: “If you have had a diagnosis please, please don’t give up hope. This funding can help you to lead a positive life.”

The Seize the Day! project, which is run by Alzheimer’s Scotland, is the first winner of the Primetime programme, presented by Dougie Vipond, which transmits Mondays on BBC Two Scotland at 8pm.   

Each week three groups from one of six regional areas across the country will go to the public vote with the opportunity to clinch up to £500,000 of Lottery funding for their project. Further information on the project and the groups featured is available on www.bbc.co.uk/primetime.

Dougie Vipond, said: "Congratulations to Seize the Day! It was a difficult choice for viewers but we have five more opportunities for viewers to help change lives across the country with their phone vote."

Alison Magee, Big Lottery Fund Scotland Chair, said: "The Primetime programme has got off to a wonderful start and has captured the imagination of the BBC viewers. Primetime celebrates and acknowledges the contribution those over 50 have made and continue to make in their local communities. I’d like to congratulate Alzheimer’s Scotland on its win which will improve people’s abilities to plan for their future and be more in control of the choices and decisions to be made throughout the course of their lives.

“Throughout the coming weeks many more groups will go head to head in this exciting competition that gives viewers a direct say on how Lottery money should be spent.”

Further Information

Contact Landa Rolland at the Big Lottery Fund Scotland Press Office on 0141 242 1458/07789 033457 or
Hilda McLean, BBC Scotland Press Office on: 0141 422 6377
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

Notes to Editors

• The Big Lottery Fund, the largest of the National Lottery good cause distributors, has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK since its inception in June 2004. It was established by Parliament on 1 December 2006.
• Since the National Lottery began in 1994, 28p from every pound spent by the public has gone to Good Causes. As a result, over £21 billion has now been raised and more than 290,000 grants given out across the arts, sport, heritage, charities, health, education and the environment.

SCOTLAND

The Scotland Committee, led by Chair, Alison Magee, has been making Big Lottery Fund decisions on Scottish projects since March 2007. As well as taking devolved decisions on Lottery spending, the Committee has and will continue to play a strategic role in the future direction of BIG in Scotland.  

The Big Lottery Fund has £257 million to invest in Scotland’s communities before 2009 as follows:  

£202 million for Investing in Communities
£25 million for the Young People’s Fund
£30 million for Awards for All

*Investing in Communities is the Big Lottery Fund Scotland’s funding portfolio, which consists of four investment areas:

Growing Community Assets, to help communities obtain, improve, develop, manage, sustain and protect assets that will help them become stronger and more sustainable.
Life Transitions to support people at times of change in their lives – at different life stages and in different circumstances.
Supporting 21st Century Life to provide support to people and communities to deal with the pace of change, enjoy positive relationships, improve quality of life, and establish connections across 21st century society.
Dynamic and Inclusive Communities (DINC) to fund improvements to the capacity and infrastructure of national, intermediary or second tier organisations, to allow communities to engage in civic society and influence civic processes so that they can build strong and more inclusive local communities.