WIREDGOV

The National Lottery is helping bring people together in communities across Scotland as 18 groups across the country receive a cash boost totalling £1,950,722.

A telephone service to help isolated people re-engage with the outside world, an environmental recycling programme to bring different generations together and a programme of activities promoting and encouraging a more active lifestyle are just some of the latest community projects to benefit from a £2 million cash injection announced yesterday by the Big Lottery Fund. (See a full list of awards)

• Volunteer Centre Dundee will provide a programme of tailored support for vulnerable and isolated people across the city after an award of £124,920. This includes running a telephone befriending service called “Blether Buddies” where specially trained volunteers will help lonely people engage in the art of conversation and help re-connect them with their community.  
• An award of £116,828 to Best Bib N Tucker CIC, based in Edinburgh, will bring the local community in Oxgangs together through a programme of activities and social events based around recycling and upcycling clothes and furniture.  Young and old will work together in workshops learning how to repair clothing and bedding or recycle them into other items such as shopping bags, aprons and table mats.
• Thanks to an award of £128,280, Volunteering Hebrides will run a wide range of dedicated health and welfare projects, activities and events for people across the island. The group will focus their work on hard to reach groups, including older people and people who have mental health problems.  The funding will pay for a dedicated co-ordinator who will create a programme healthy activities such as fishing, walking and cycling which to help bring people and communities together.

Announcing the grants, Maureen McGinn, Big Lottery Fund Scotland Chair, said: “Thanks to National Lottery players, this £2 million investment will reach into communities across Scotland and transform the lives of local people.  Each of these inspiring projects will assist people at the times when they need most support, providing them with the tools, confidence and skills to work towards a more positive future.”

Big Lottery Fund Press Office:  0141 242 1451

Website:   www.biglotteryfund.org.uk
Twitter:   @BIGSCOTLAND #NationalLottery
Facebook:   www.facebook.com/BigLotteryFundScotland

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.
• The Big Lottery Fund Scotland is focussed on helping people and communities most in need throughout Scotland through its five-year £250m funding scheme as well as small grants scheme National Lottery Awards for All Scotland.
• Since March 2007 Big Lottery Fund Scotland has taken devolved decisions on National Lottery spending, the Committee, led by Chair, Maureen McGinn plays a strategic role in the future direction of the Fund in Scotland.
• Since June 2004 we have awarded over £8 billion to projects across the UK that change the lives of millions of people. Every year we fund 13,000 small local projects tackling big social problems like poor mental health and homelessness.
• Since the National Lottery began in 1994, £35 billion has been raised and more than 490,000 grants awarded.