5 BIG winners reaching communities

The grants, totalling £2,108,908, are being announced under the Big Lottery Fund’s Reaching Communities Northern Ireland programme that will distribute £18 million to support a wide range of projects that bring changes to people’s lives, creating stronger communities and improved local environments.

Other projects that have benefited from the grants windfall including an initiative tackling substance abuse in the North West and a scheme working with disadvantaged individuals and families in Coleraine.

Big Lottery Fund NI Chair, Breidge Gadd, said:

“The Reaching Communities NI programme is very effective in ensuring that lottery cash reaches strong and innovative projects which have a real and lasting impact on people lives and this round of grants represents a large vote of confidence for the work the voluntary and community sector.”

REACHING COMMUNITIES NI GRANTS

Cliftonville Community Regeneration Forum - £499,723

The project will provide support and guidance to 1,750 disadvantaged young people living in North Belfast. The aim is to build capacity, reduce the level of social problems in the area and improve the services on offer to provide greater opportunities, promote personal development and improve the skills and self-esteem of young people and volunteers and create a more positive image of the area.

Suicide Awareness and Support Group - £213,359

The project will provide practical support to 250 families bereaved through suicide and seek to reduce the number of suicides by providing support for those at risk from suicide and coordinating awareness among groups and GPs in the 13 wards covered by the West Belfast Partnership Board. They will train volunteers to deal with people contemplating suicide and provide practical support to families. The project will also carry out a high profile awareness campaign and lobby statutory authorities to provide appropriate levels of support by highlighting gaps in current services.

Focus On Family - £434,785

The project will deliver the Family Links Nurturing Programme and provide cross community events to 250 disadvantaged individuals living in Ballysally and the Coleraine area. The aim is to address emotional literacy, promote tolerance and improve the health and wellbeing of individuals through improved confidence, esteem and skills.

Drumgor Detached Youth Work Project - £469,115

The purpose of the project will benefit 625 marginalised and 'at risk' young people, between the ages 10 and 18, per year from the Brownlow area in Drumgor, Craigavon. The aim of the project is to reintegrate these young people back into their communities, interacting with young people on the street, building relationships with them, and offering them personal and social development programmes which tackle issues such as self esteem, drugs, anti social behaviour, and community awareness.

Have Your Tomorrow's (HURT) - £491,926

The project will support HURT to develop the scope of services on offer in their headquarters in Derry while also expanding their service across the wider region by establishing outreach centres in Limavady, Strabane and Dungiven. The aim will be to provide 700 substance users and their families emotional support, counselling, alternative therapies and educational sessions. The group will also develop a more proactive preventative role by educating and raising awareness of the dangers of substance misuse with 800 people from community groups and youth clubs.

www.biglottery.org.uk