90 communities across Wales are celebrating a bumper month with nearly six and a half million pounds worth of grants

5 Oct 2018 10:51 AM

90 communities across Wales are celebrating as the Big Lottery Fund awarded £6,492,691.00 of funding in September. Nant-Y-Bryniau Education Centre in Conwy applied for the smallest award of £2,100. Meanwhile Chepstow and District Mencap Society and the Outdoor Partnership in North Wales were both successful in applying for the largest grant of half a million pounds. 

Awards are possible thanks to players of the National Lottery. This month we thought you would like to see the delighted reactions from these three successful applicants, as they received the news that their applications to our large grants scheme were successful: 

Milford Youth Matters in Pembrokeshire applied for £436,621 to enhance and expand the existing services for young people aged 16-25 who are not employed or in education. The new elements will provide job placements and mentoring. Once he’d recovered from the shock Dayle Gibby, Project Co-ordinator, told us:

“This is going to mean so much to the young people we work with, they can’t wait to get started on all the plans we made.” 

Nick Hudd (Milford Haven Youth Centre Manager) added 

'We are grateful to the Big Lottery Fund for affording us an opportunity to expand the support we offer to young people and the wider community. The project is a result of a collaborative approach involving many stakeholders in our community, ensuring their wants are central to what will be delivered.” 

The Outdoor Partnership applied for £500,000 to develop an existing project which delivers inclusive adventure activities, volunteering and pathways to employment in North West Wales. The project uses outdoor activities to engage with women and girls, people with pan-disabilities and unemployed people living in disadvantaged areas. The new project will expand the project to the whole of Wales. 

Tracey Evans, Chief Executive Officer of the Outdoor Partnership said: 

“This is fantastic news! The National Lottery funding will allow us to expand our inclusive adventure, volunteering and pathways to employment programmes to other communities in Wales. Over the next five years, the project will empower people and communities to improve access to outdoor activities in a sustainable way, improving health, social and economic wellbeing of communities across Wales. On behalf of the charity and all our beneficiaries, a big thank you to all National Lottery players.” 

Twyn Action Group Youth Club’ applied for £229,916, they have worked with their community to decide what is most important to them. Residents are going to form a community panel to research and design a programme of new services and activities.

The programme will build on the organisation's current work with young people and families in Merthyr Tydfil and will extend the opening of the Centre. Callum Palmer, project manager was equally pleased 

“That is fantastic, we needed someone to back us, it will mean a lot to the community who have really got involved with the project.” 

You can see their reactions here: (nb this is a link to a short film on youtube)

A further four projects received large awards: 

Chepstow and District Mencap Society successfully bid for £500,000 to enhance and expand the service or people with disabilities in Chepstow and surrounding areas by working on a currently empty building to become a fully accessible centre. 

CAIS Limited got a grant of £433,438 to help Cardiff-based families with problems with addictions, mental health, personal development and employment to prioritise the health and well-being of dependent children. 

Pantside Association of Residents and Tenants received £250,000 to redevelop disused land into a community woodland park. The park will offer a range of facilities including a children’s play area, a Multi Use Games Area and a skateboard/pump track. 

The Centre for Building Social Action Ltd based in Llanelli, bid for £412,465 to work with young people aged 16 to 24 years old living in poverty, to increase their life skills and life choices, using gardening and growing as a tool to engage and develop them. 

Derek Preston Hughes, Funding Manager at the Big Lottery Fund said 

“The funding committee was really impressed with these projects which have put their communities at the heart of deciding what they want to see improved with the grant.” 

For further information, and to find the awards in your area, please follow this link(which will download a pdf on a different part of our site) please call our enquiry line 0300 123 0735 if you  would like this  list in a different format..