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Charitable projects in Ealing and Lambeth will support families caring for disabled children and community unity. Both projects are being made possible by Big Lottery Fund (BIG) grants together worth over £370,000, announced yesterday.

The grants are awarded as part of BIG’s Reaching Communities programme, which aims to improve the lives of those most in need and to build stronger communities.

The grant of £222,835 will enable Contact a Family Incorporated to expand its Southall Family Outreach Project that supports families caring for a child with any disability or additional need. The project will develop their skills and confidence and provide support in accessing benefits, service entitlements and resources. There will also be opportunities to meet other families in similar circumstances.

Jo Hardy, Head of Engagement and Support (London) for Contact a Family said:

"Contact a Family is delighted to acknowledge the award of a three year grant to fund their Family Outreach Project in Southall. This funding will enable Contact a Family to reach and support families from a range of black, Asian and minority ethnic communities in the Southall area of the London Borough of Ealing who have a child or children, aged 0-19, with any disability, additional need, rare disorder or complex health need.  This will include children with autism, ADHD, and those with physical, sensory or multiple disabilities.

“We will address the cultural and language barriers which prevent families accessing services. We will also train volunteers to support family take up opportunities and tackle the social isolation many of these families face. This is such a fantastic project. It will make such a significant difference to the lives of over 500 families with disabled children each year. We are extremely grateful to Big Lottery Fund for recognising the value of this work."

Parents and carers will be provided with information and support to enable them to make choices that have a positive impact on their family’s lives. The group will also deliver a programme of workshops and advice sessions, which will equip parents with disabled children with the skills and knowledge they need. Leisure activities and holiday events will also be held and families will be put in touch with one another.

Also in London, the Springfield Community Flat project on the Larkhill estate, Lambeth is awarded £172,671 to provide classes open to the whole community on cooking, clothes making and crafts, to promote the integration of residents who are refugees.  

In an area of disadvantage, the project will bring together a diverse community and support people who can often feel marginalised and isolated through offering help accessing, for example, English language courses, which will benefit the community as a whole.

Debbie Pippard, Big Lottery Fund, Head of Region for London, said: “Contact a Family has a wealth of experience in working with families of disabled children.  Such families can often feel isolated, and especially so if they are from smaller communities. The project to promote integration of a diverse community in Lambeth will also work to reduce isolation and both projects will bring really positive improvements to the lives of families and children. We're delighted to be able to support them through our Reaching Communities funding.”  

Further Information

Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 020 7211 1888
Out of hours contact: 07867 500 572
Public Enquiries Line: 08454 102030
Textphone:  0845 6021 659

Full details of the Big Lottery Fund programmes and grant awards are available on the website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk

Notes to Editors

• Under Reaching Communities, the Big Lottery Fund awards grants between £10,000 and £500,000 to projects that offer people better life chances, build stronger communities, develop improved rural and urban environments and improve health and well being.
• The Big Lottery Fund (BIG), the largest distributor of National Lottery good cause funding, is responsible for giving out half the money raised for good causes by the National Lottery.
• BIG 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 June 2004. The Fund was formally 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 £22 billion has now been raised and more than 300,500 grants awarded across arts, sport, heritage, charities, health, education and the environment.