WIREDGOV

The National Lottery Community Fund is spreading good news to 121 communities across Wales receiving a share of £4.1m in its latest round of grant announcements. Groups celebrating include:

• Green Squirrel CIC in Cardiff – creating a community building and business pods from shipping containers
• Aberporth Village Hall and Recreation Ground – updating their village hall
• Association of Voluntary Organisations in Wrexham (AVOW) – developing a new model of integrated play and community development work

Green Squirrel CIC in Cardiff will use £460,808 to provide a unique outdoor and indoor space for the community in Splott to design, run, grow and take part in activities that will bring the community together.

A building created from recycled shipping containers will provide spaces for social events and activities. Eight shipping containers will be made into business pods providing workshop and office space for social enterprises, and a community allotment will be used for horticultural training and skills development.

Receiving the grant, Hannah Garcia, Green Squirrel Director, yesterday said:

"Communities deserve a place to develop skills and their own local responses to challenges such as COVID-19, access to affordable healthy food, and the climate emergency. Thanks to the support of The National Lottery Community Fund, Railway Gardens can grow into a shared space where local people can get to know each other, share resources, and become more resilient, together.”

In Ceredigion, Aberporth Village Hall and Recreation Ground has received £450,000 towards the refurbishment and rebuilding of the village hall in Aberporth, including better disability access and energy efficiency to better support the local environment. It will mean that the community will have a new, modernised hall accessible to all local people.

Richard Jennings, Chairman of Aberporth Village Hall, yesterday said:

“This has been a fantastic boost for the village. There have been many attempts over the years to try and get a new hall, so to finally see our dreams realised is a tribute to the hard work and commitment of the committee. We are really grateful to the National Lottery Community Fund for supporting us.”

Elsewhere, Association of Voluntary Organisations in Wrexham (AVOW) has been awarded £485,861 over five years to develop a new model of integrated play and community development work, building on existing high-quality play and youth provision, and extend their reach into the wider community. Activities will include play schemes, street play, and more.

Welcoming the grant, Claire Pugh of AVOW, yesterday said:

“The Playwork funded by the National Lottery Community Fund will enable the community to support their own wellbeing and healthy development by playing.

“Play is one of the most important aspects of children’s lives and is central to their experience and enjoyment of living, we know their opportunities for playing will directly affect how they feel about themselves and other aspects of their lives. We have no doubt that our community will thrive and this funding will make such a difference to so many lives. On behalf of the children, young people, families and wider community we’d like to say a HUGE ‘thank you’!”

Ruth Bates, Interim Director Wales at The National Lottery Community Fund, yesterday said:

“Thanks to National Lottery players, communities across Wales have made an incredible impact, supporting each other over this difficult period. As we cautiously look to the future, we know people will continue to make a positive difference to each other’s lives, thanks to the wonderful support provided by the groups funded this month.”

Read about all 121 grants worth £4,106,481 in our full list here.

National Lottery players raise £30 million each week for good causes throughout the UK. To find out more about applying for a grant to help your community adapt, recover and thrive, visit www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/wales.

Click here for the full press release