LOTTERY MILLIONS ROLL-OUT

9 Apr 2008 10:17 AM Eco-campaigner and TV adventurer BEN FOGLE today gave a helping hand to a multi-million pound grants roll out that aims to improve people’s mental health through eco-based projects.

The ECOMINDS scheme is part of the BIG Lottery Fund’s Changing Spaces grant programme, which is channelling £143 million into projects across England to help communities enjoy and improve their local environments.

The BIG Lottery Fund today announced Mental health charity Mind as an Award Partner and granted £8.8 million of lottery funding to run their Ecominds scheme. It will support environmental projects that improve the mental health and well-being of people with direct experience of mental distress.

Ben Fogle welcomed the impact the BIG funding will make: “Changing Spaces is about putting people in touch with their local environment so that everyone benefits. It really is a BIG investment in improving communities and I’m really pleased to help set it in motion.”

Sir Clive Booth, Big Lottery Fund Chair, said: “The Changing Spaces programme can do so much for communities, from improving local environments and regenerating green spaces to supporting the growing and use of local food. It will also promote well-being – which is why we are delighted to announce Mind as an award partner today. The Ecominds scheme plans to support some innovative projects around the country that will not only improve the local environment, but also the mental and physical health of people with experience of mental distress.”

With an estimated one-in-four people experiencing a mental health problem at some time in their lives, Mind hopes that a significant number of people will benefit from funding through their Ecominds scheme.

A local Mind association scheme in Solihull is already proving just how beneficial eco-projects can be. Almost 14 years ago the association took on a derelict site and have transformed it into a beautiful, tranquil space for horticulture and recreation projects. GPs routinely recommend the Solihull Mind project to people experiencing mental distress.

Julie Bennett, Horticulture Project Coordinator in Solihull, said: "People work very hard on the site. Digging, lifting, planting and pruning are all great exercise, but people don't think about it as exercise. Here, you can spend half an hour digging potatoes - you get the exercise and you also come away with some lovely organic vegetables. It's certainly not as intimidating as a gym.

"The wildflower meadow, for example, takes a surprising amount of maintenance, and people spend hours tending to it. But because they're in the fresh air, and chatting and laughing with people, and listening to the radio, it feels like nothing.”

The project's vegetable plots provide fresh, organic food for service users and for meals at Solihull Mind's day service. Neighbours buy the rest - just part of the project's engagement with its community. The project provides an excellent opportunity for service users to get work experience, break down barriers, and see how their efforts are appreciated.

Paul Farmer, Mind's Chief Executive, said: "Ecominds presents us with an opportunity to challenge traditional perspectives about treatment options for people with mental health problems. Research by Mind has shown that Ecotherapy, the combination of nature and exercise, is extremely beneficial for mental wellbeing, reducing stress and depression and boosting self-esteem. Ecominds will give more people the chance to participate in structured green activities and take advantage of a natural alternative treatment."

"This new scheme will also help Mind to tackle the stigma and social exclusion faced by people who experience mental distress. By bringing people across communities together with a common aim we will be transforming not just the physical environment of communities but also the outlook of people within them. It will open people's eyes to the skills and talents that people with mental health problems offer."

Mind is the fifth and final organisation chosen as an award partner by BIG – with Building Research Establishment (BRE), Groundwork UK, Natural England and Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (RSWT) sharing the rest of the substantial Lottery good cause funding and now opening their grant schemes for applications.

Building Research Establishment (BRE) will run the Community Sustainable Energy Programme to help not-for-profit community based organisations in England reduce their energy bills and environmental impact, as well as raising public awareness of climate change and how to tackle it with its £10.1 million lottery support

Groundwork UK will use £50 million of lottery money to run its Community Spaces programme, which will provide funding and support to community groups wanting to improve their neighbourhoods. The scheme will enable a wide variety of local projects to improve green and open space, including play areas, community gardens, parks, wildlife areas and village greens.

Natural England will use £25 million to help people to Access Nature. The scheme will provide new opportunities for people who currently have little or no contact with nature and the outdoors focussing on community awareness and participation; education, learning and volunteering; and welcoming, well managed wildlife rich places.

£50million will help the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (RSWT) run its Local Food scheme, supporting a variety of local food related projects that will help to strengthen local communities across England. Projects will focus on growing, processing and distributing local food, as well as other activities like composting.


Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 020 7211 1888
Out of hours contact: 07867 500 572
Public Enquiries Line: 08454 102030 Textphone: 0845 6021 659
Full details of the Big Lottery Fund programmes and grant awards are available on the website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk

Notes to Editors

• The Big Lottery Fund’s Changing Spaces programme was launched in November 2005 to help communities enjoy and improve their local environments. The programme will fund a range of activities from local food schemes and farmers markets, to education projects teaching people about the environment.

• The Big Lottery Fund rolls out close to £2 million in Lottery good cause money every 24 hours which together with other Lottery distributors means that across the UK most people are within a few miles of a Lottery-funded project.

• The Big Lottery Fund, the largest of the National Lottery good cause distributors, has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK since its inception in June 2004. It was established by Parliament on 1 December 2006.

• Since the National Lottery began in 1994, 28p from every pound spent by the public has gone to Good Causes. As a result, over £20 billion has now been raised and more than 280,000 grants given out across the arts, sport, heritage, charities, health, education and the environment.

• Award Partner press contacts: Building Research Establishment (BRE) 01923 664 205; Groundwork UK 0121 237 5872; Mind 020 8215 2237; Natural England 0845 603 9953; Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (RSWT) 01636 670 075.

ATTN PICTURE DESKS: For photos of Ben Fogle putting the BIG green wheel in motion please see http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/pr_ben_fogle_pics. Alternatively, contact Sarah Manktelow smanktelow@cakegroup.com or Emma-Jane Ireland eireland@cakegroup.com or ph 0207 307 3100