National Lottery Charities Board Wales

3 November 2000

All Aboard for Community Transport, as �4m awarded

The Charities Board today awarded worth a total of �4,181,881 Community involvement and Poverty and disadvantage grants to 24 groups in Wales. Elisabeth Watkins, Chairman of the Charities Board in Wales said, "A lot of hard work and dedication was in evidence in today's awards and my congratulations go to all the grant recipients."

A grant that will impact the whole of Wales was the �269,912 award made to Community Transport Association UK to provide the organisational structure required to advise and develop community transport projects in Wales. The money will pay for three full-time staff, transport, rent and office costs for three years. Those interested in running community transport projects will also receive help with management issues, information and training in aspects of legislation, health and safety, equal opportunities and vehicle specifications.

"Lack of access to transport is often an additional hurdle for disabled or older people or people living in disadvantaged communities and it is therefore a great pleasure to award a project that should significantly advance the availability of community transport in Wales," said Elisabeth Watkins. "Community transport addresses mobility needs which are not answered by the public or the private sector. An example would be youngsters from a disadvantaged area who cannot secure employment because of lack of public transport provision and the prohibitive cost of private transport. The solution could be anything from a pool of scooters to a community minibus. Even 'walking buses', where adults escort groups of children to school, is a form of community transport. In Wales, the Charities Board has set aside a total of �9m for a period of three years to fund community transport projects. I hope therefore that communities across Wales will contact the Community Transport Association for further information and to share the benefits of the grant with those at most disadvantage."

Two local community transport projects were also awarded grants, namely Ambus Consortium in Monmouthshire, awarded �27,407 for a minibus and running expenses shared by several voluntary groups, and Ogwr Transport for the Elderly or the Disabled, awarded �29,814 to purchase a new vehicle.

Other awards today include two grants over �400,000, namely �414,200 awarded to The Rest Bay Convalescent Hotel for purpose-built premises in Porthcawl and �486,072 awarded to NEWVOL to establish a functional and accessible office base for the Denbighshire Voluntary Services Council.

Two Women's Aid groups were also successful: namely Swansea Women's Aid awarded �104,326 and Abergavenny Women's Aid awarded �198,820 to expand an existing outreach service. Protecting vulnerable families is also the aim of Save the Family Limited based in Flintshire which received a �321,115 award to refurbish a hostel.

Groups seeking application forms for Charities Board grants or further information should call 0845 727 3273.

1 November 2000

National Lottery Charities Board announces new Research grants programme

The Charities Board today announced details of a new research programme, which opens on 11 June 2001.

The new programme will support medical research and social research in the areas of health and social well-being.

The programme is aimed at charities and voluntary and community groups usually working in partnership with universities and research centres.

Details of the programme have been published in a booklet available from all Charities Board offices.

Diana Brittan, Chair, National Lottery Charities Board, said: "We have already awarded over �30 million to 200 charities and voluntary organisations for research projects in the fields of health, disability and care. The new programme will build on the lessons learned from previous research programmes in the areas of health and social well-being.

"Under the new Research grants programme the Charities Board wants to fund high quality research, in particular research that could have a real impact on helping those at greatest disadvantage in society."

Groups who we may benefit under the new programme include charities researching into mental and physical illness, those researching the needs of disabled people and children at risk.

The programme will be continuous with no closing dates for applications, and decisions on grants will be made twice a year.

For a copy of the Research grants programme leaflet, please call 0845 791 9191 (Minicom: 0845 755 6656) or visit our website at: www.nlcb.org.uk

Media enquiries: Robert Blow 020 7747 5227

31 October 2000

National Lottery Charities Board opens new International grants programme

Application lines for the Charities Board's new International grants programme open today.

In this programme the Charities Board will fund development projects which help address the causes of poverty and inequality and make a significant improvement to some of the most vulnerable people in the world.

The programme is aimed at UK-based charities and voluntary organisations working with partner organisations overseas. It will also fund UK organisations working with partners on development education in the UK.

To date the Charities Board has funded a total of �106.9 million to 527 UK-based voluntary organisations working abroad. Organisations awarded a grant under previous International programmes can apply to fund a project under this new programme.

People who may benefit from the new programme include those without adequate food, clean water and shelter; those who lack proper healthcare or education or a reliable means of making a living; and those who are victims of war and oppression.

Application lines close on 26 January 2001. The deadline for the receipt of completed applications is 5pm on 16 March 2001. The Charities Board expects to announce grants in late Summer 2001.

For an application pack telephone 0845 7919191 (Minicom: 0845 7556656) or visit our website at www.nlcb.org.uk Applicants who prefer to apply in Welsh should telephone 0845 7273273. (Minicom: 01686 610205).

Media enquiries: Robert Blow 020 7747 5227

27 October 2000

A Grant to Beat the Bullies

Children suffering from bullying, visually impaired, housebound and bereaved people will benefit from the �148,819 awarded to 51 groups by the Charities Board in Wales today.

A �5,000 award was made to Children Under Risk from Bullying (CURB) to improve the administration and cover travel costs for this Wales-wide project. Housebound people in Rhondda Fach will benefit from a new wheelchair and improved support from the Rhondda Fach Housebound Club, awarded �1,250.

In Newtown, �524 was awarded to the Newtown and District Visually Impaired People's Club for transport and speakers fees, while in the Wrexham, Flintshire and Deeside area a �1,500 award to Cruse Bereavement Care will support bereavement counselling volunteers with travel and expenses.

Elisabeth Watkins, Chairman of the Board in Wales said, "Time and time again the Small grant awards indicate the breadth and diversity of voluntary activities in the communities across Wales. The Charities Board responds to needs identified and addressed by groups in their own communities. These Small grants, ranging from �500 to �5,000, can make a significant difference in carrying projects forward and boosting the morale of group members. But it is also hoped that some of the worthwhile projects we have funded will be of interest and inspire similar community involvement in other parts of Wales. Knowing that success rates for applications currently stand at about one in two should encourage many more small groups in Wales to apply to the Charities Board for funding."

Groups seeking application forms for Charities Board grants or further information should call 0845 727 3273.

26 October 2000

Charities Board Annual Report shows record investment in communities across the UK

The National Lottery Charities Board's Annual Report 1999/2000, laid before Parliament today, shows that in 1999/2000 the Charities Board awarded a record total of 11,347 grants worth �450.6 million. Over the five years in which the Charities Board has been making grants to benefit some of the most disadvantaged people in the UK, it has awarded more than �1.76 billion to more than 36,000 charities and community and voluntary groups.

Charities Board grants reflected the diversity of voluntary activity across the UK today. They include large sums to hospices and national charities and small amounts of money to grass-roots projects, like youth clubs, toy libraries, language courses for refugees, senior citizens' clubs and village halls. Whatever the size of grant these awards made a measurable difference to a huge range of communities.

The Annual Report highlights some of the people who have benefited from Lottery money. Major developments during the year included:

• Decision-making was made more local, as Charities Board's Regional Awards Committees in the nine England regions were given new powers to award grants up to �1 million in their regions
• Grants totalling �24.6 million were awarded under the Health and social research programme, covering a wide variety of medical and social research projects, and grants worth �32.7 million were awarded to UK-based charities working in some of the poorest parts of the world
• The Charities Board's website was relaunched to make it more user-friendly, and particular care was taken with those with visual impairments.

Diana Brittan, Chair, National Lottery Charities Board, said: "I'm proud that since we started five years ago, we have helped thousands of people to improve their quality of life.

"Given that we are pledged to become more customer-focused, more transparent and more accountable, we intend to improve our grant-making by merging together our two main grants programmes and making the application process easier to understand. We plan to introduce a shorter application form for groups of all sizes who want medium-sized amounts of money. We will be launching an ongoing research programme for medical research and social research. We shall be making our application pack available on disk to make it easier to apply, particularly for those with visual impairments.

"To signal these changes we will be introducing a new corporate identity in 2001 to communicate more effectively our purpose, mission and values. We look forward to working with the voluntary sector over the next year so that we can deliver the benefits of these changes."

Media enquiries: Robert Blow 020 7747 5227

Copies of the 1999/2000 Annual Report are available from your local Charities Board office or may be viewed on our website at www.nlcb.org.uk

Notes to Editors

1. For media enquiries or group contact numbers please call Brian on 01248 679003 or 07880 5580361.
2. The National Lottery Charities Board is an independent body set up by Parliament to distribute funds to support charitable, benevolent and philanthropic organisations. There are 17 Board members, including the Chair. Decisions on grants are made by the members in grant-making committees for Wales, England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the UK as a whole.
3. The Charities Board's two main grant programmes: Community involvement and Poverty and disadvantage as well as Small grants are awarded by the Wales Committee. Board Members in Wales are Elisabeth Watkins (Chairman), Jeff Carroll and Rhiannon Bevan. Co-opted Members to the Board are Margaret Dennis, Aled Si�n and Dr Glyn Williams.
4. The Board's main aim is to give grants to help meet the needs of those at greatest disadvantage in society and to improve the quality of life in the community.
5. Since October 1995, the National Lottery Charities Board, under the main grants, has awarded over �95 million to 996 groups in Wales. Over �5 million has been awarded to 1,916 groups under the Small grants scheme. This brings the total distributed in Wales, over five years, to over �100 million.
6. Full lists of Charities Board's grants are published on the internet at www.nlcb.org.uk and full lists of all Lottery distributors grants are listed at www.lottery.culture.gov.uk.

Note to Designers

The National Lottery Charities Board logo is the circular logo that appears on this press release. (The "crossed finger" logo is a trade mark for the National Lottery is therefore not for the Charities Board use).

The National Lottery Charities Board distributes 4.7 pence of every pound spent on the National Lottery to charities and voluntary and community groups. The Charities Board gives grants to help meet the needs of those at greatest disadvantage in society and to improve the quality of life in the community.