National Lottery grants awarded in Mid and East Antrim
The National Lottery Community Fund has awarded funding to organisations in the Mid and East Antrim area in their latest round of funding, helping improve the lives of people of all ages and abilities.
This includes Con Magees GAC, Glenravel, which received an £18,353 grant over two years to run activity programmes for older people and adults with learning and physical disabilities. Activities will include day trips, craft workshops and exercise sessions, to improve mental and physical wellbeing.
Maire O’Loan, Club Coordinator, said: “We’re delighted to receive this funding from The National Lottery Community Fund. Our project will continue to bring the community together thereby enabling and enhancing friendships and social inclusion. We are excited to bring new programmes such as drumming and yoga to our All Stars club for adults with additional needs and Tuesday Morning Club. Thanks to the National Lottery Community Fund and National Lottery players for making our project possible.”
Also receiving funding in the local area are Harryville Men’s Shed, 5th Larne Guide Unit, Inter-Ethnic Forum (Mid and East Antrim), and Women's Aid Antrim, Ballymena, Carrickfergus, Larne and Newtownabbey.
These grant awards come as The National Lottery Community Fund announced a new multi-million pound funding programme, ‘Strengthening Communities,’ to support people in greatest need, investing £20 million each year across Northern Ireland.
Strengthening Communities is different from previous programmes delivered by The Fund, as it will award grants to projects that focus on preventing problems before they arise and prioritise those experiencing poverty, discrimination and disadvantage. It will also support people to fulfil their potential, be more involved in their communities and improve their lives.
This new programme comes from The Fund’s strategy to 2030, ‘It starts with community,’ and will start by targeting two of its mission areas: help children and young people thrive and enable people to live healthier lives.
Multi-year grants of up to £500,000 will be available and it will open to applications on Monday 21 October 2024. Organisations applying will be expected to show how their project has made a difference and how they will measure that impact.
Paul Sweeney, Northern Ireland Chair of The National Lottery Community Fund, announcing this new programme, said: “We’re delighted to launch Strengthening Communities, which takes the best of what we’ve done before and builds on our work to make communities stronger, healthier and more inclusive.
“We want to fund projects, led by communities, that focus on early intervention and building strength – equipping people with the skills, networks and resources to protect them from adverse experiences and break negative cycles. We know that this type of preventative support works best.
“I want to pay tribute to all the National Lottery funded projects, like these awarded in Mid and East Antrim, that continue to step up for communities to support people in need. We look forward to working with them and seeing what can be achieved.”
This year marks 30 years since the first National Lottery draw in 1994, and thanks to those who play the games and raise £30 million for good causes each week, £786 million has been awarded to communities across Northern Ireland over this time.
Groups with ideas for funding are encouraged to get in touch to discuss their idea on 028 9055 1455 or email [email protected].
For more information on all funding available from The National Lottery Community Fund visit www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/NorthernIreland.