National Lottery cash set to strengthen third sector in Wales

3 Nov 2017 03:02 PM

A project that will strengthen third sector capabilities is the latest being awarded National Lottery money.

£121,692 is being awarded to The Cranfield Trust as part of the Big Lottery Fund’s Third Sector Skills programme, which aims to pilot innovative approaches to bringing new skills and expertise to organisations in the third sector.

The grant means that The Cranfield Trust can expand their existing work into Wales; launching in Cardiff and then expanding to Swansea, Newport and Rhondda Cynon Taff.

The three-year project will engage business professionals to mentor small and medium voluntary organisations to improve their leadership and strategic direction, people management, financial management and sustainability and performance and impact. The grant will fund salaries, project running costs and overheads.

Amanda Tincknell, Chief Executive of the Cranfield Trust, said: “We’re delighted to have won support from the Big Lottery Fund to develop our work in Wales.  We’ve carried out a small number of consultancy projects with voluntary organisations in Wales already and having the support of the Big Lottery Fund will mean we can now build our service substantially, to work with more charities. We would like to say thank you to both the Big Lottery Fund and National Lottery players for making a positive difference and giving us the opportunity to help build successful and more sustainable charities in South Wales. “
 
Christopher Mill, Chair of Samaritans South Wales Valleys Project Steering Group, has worked with the Cranfield Trust on a management consultancy project and is very pleased that more charities in South Wales will be able to benefit from their valuable consultancy, commenting: “I have seen the benefits that have come from the support given by a Cranfield Trust volunteer to the Samaritans South Wales Valleys Project and I am very pleased to see the Cranfield Trust’s activity expanding in Wales, it’s very good news for the third sector in Wales and for those who depend on its effectiveness.”

Highlighting the importance of the Third Sector Skills programme, Andrew Owen, Head of Funding for the Big Lottery Fund, said: “Programmes like Third Sector Skills are making a difference to the lives of so many people in communities across Wales.
  
“It means that new skills can be brought to organisations that will help them flourish and take advantage of opportunities that are available to them.”

Further Information:

Alexander Davies - Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 029 2067 8236
Public Enquiries Line: 0845 4 10 20 30   |   Textphone: 18001+0300 123 0735
Full details of the Big Lottery Fund programmes and grant awards are available at: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk
Follow Big Lottery Fund Wales on Twitter: www.twitter.com/biglotterywales
Find Big Lottery Fund Wales on Facebook: www.facebook.com/biglotteryfundwales

• 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.
• Since June 2004 we have awarded over £6.5 billion to projects that make a difference to people and communities in need, from early years intervention to commemorative travel funding for World War Two veterans.
• Since the National Lottery began in 1994, £34 billion has been raised and more than 500,000 grants awarded.