You’ve goat to be kitten me! Udder pressure farm amaized with National Lottery cash
2 Feb 2018 04:30 PM
A community farm in Swansea that was on the brink of closure less than 12 months ago is celebrating the news that National Lottery money will open up opportunities for its community.
Swansea Community Farm are one of thirteen projects across Wales sharing in £3,654,410 as part of the latest round of the Big Lottery Fund’s People and Places programme. (For a full list of awards, click here).
They will use £99,992 to support new people with mental health difficulties into volunteering and training opportunities.
The awards are made possible thanks to money being set aside for good causes from National Lottery ticket sales.
One volunteer, Paul Abraham, who attends the Farm, had to give up work due to a work related injury. He said: “I love the farm - it’s a great, inclusive place. It’s helped me get my mojo back after a huge change in my life, I lost my job and was dealing with health problems - I was in a dark hole. Volunteering at the Farm has helped me climb out of that hole, at one point I couldn’t see a way forward. I’d always been so busy and was then so bored and felt useless because I wasn’t using my skills.
“Now I look forward to Thursdays, to volunteering with my muckers. It’s my day to be me I’m not a husband, dad, bampy or dog walker. I’m Paul! I’m achieving stuff, giving something back and will now get to help more new people get their mojo back too”.
Speaking about the grant received, Volunteer and Training Manager, Kate Gibbs, said: “I am chuffed that the Big Lottery Fund has decided to award this grant to the Farm. The Farm exists because of, and for, volunteers and to improve wellbeing. Our community is the inspiration for and driving force behind the new project.
“It has been a tough year - a year ago we were seriously facing closure but thanks to the volunteers’ determination and hours of graft and positivity we are still here and on the up. I’ve experienced for myself that volunteering at the Farm can change’s lives and it is fantastic to have the opportunity to build on this by getting volunteers trained to be able to support others with their health issues.”
Elsewhere, Empower – Be The Change based in Wrexham will use £246,008 to take people in Wrexham, Conwy, Flintshire and Denbigh through its Volunteer to Employment Programme increasing their confidence, mental resilience and employability skills. Each participant will be taken through an ILM accredited qualification, encouraged to take up community volunteer placements and supported to go back into education or employment.
Highlighting the importance of the People and Places programme, Rona Aldrich, Wales Committee Member for the Big Lottery Fund, said: “Programmes like People and Places are making a difference to the lives of so many people in communities across Wales.
“It delivers on our promise to use National Lottery funding to regenerate and revitalise communities, tackle disadvantage head on and leave a lasting legacy.”
The People and Places programme awards grants of between £10,001 and £500,000 for a broad range of community projects. For further information about the programme and how you can apply for funding, please visit http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/fundingfinderwales.
Further Information:
Alexander Davies - Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 029 2067 8236
Public Enquiries Line: 0300 123 0735 | Text Relay: 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