270303 Community groups spring into action after latest lottery awards

A number of mental health charity projects, community training schemes, children's projects, older people's projects and a village hall are among those set to benefit from awards being announced today (27 March) by Community Fund.

Community Fund Regional Awards Committee Chair Liz Harlaar said: "We are delighted to fund these projects to help isolated communities in our region. The Community Fund will continue to work in partnership with voluntary groups to improve the quality of life in disadvantaged communities."

Groups celebrating today include:

MIND in Dacorum has been awarded £204,488. Julie Attree, MIND's Director says, 'We are absolutely delighted with the award. It is a great relief as it gives us secure funding for the next three years. The previous project was successful in providing people experiencing mental health problems with social and therapeutic activities. We can now build on this and develop this very worthwhile project. We are moving forward in the direction of self-help where the service users will be actively involved in running the groups. Part of the award will also enable the development of an information and advice service. We are based in Hemel Hempstead and cover an area from Kings Langley to Tring in Hertfordshire.

Thurrock Racial Unity Support Taskgroup (TRUST) Ltd has been awarded £277,880. Mrs Shakuntala Williams, Manager says, 'This award is brilliant! We will be able to continue work already established. We are very relieved and happy, finding continuation funding can be very hard. The award will help us to strengthen our black and minority voluntary and community groups. People will have somewhere to come to if they are feeling victimised. We will also be building on community relations and cohesion in Thurrock'.

Great Yarmouth and Waveney MIND has been awarded £144,402. Anne Kirby, Services Development Manager says, 'I was so excited that I couldn't take it in, this is our second application and we are all very very pleased it has been successful! This award will make a massive difference to us. We have a big project planned which includes carpentry, furniture recycling, electrical and engineering work. We are motivated in an entrepreneurial sense towards the social enterprise aspect of working and our main aim is to become self-sustaining in the future'.

The Seckford Foundation has been awarded £200,000. PR consultant for the Foundation, Mary Rudd says, 'The award is absolutely wonderful, it will make a big difference and is a huge boast for the project. The project will transform the living accommodation for elderly residents living in Woodbridge. We will be able to provide more space and security in a greatly improved environment. We are forward thinking as this work is desperately needed to bring the building up to the standards required in the future'.

Notes for Editors

1. The Community Fund shares out money raised by the National Lottery to charities and to voluntary and community groups. Out of every £1 spent on the National Lottery, the Community Fund gets 4.7 pence. Since it began in 1995 it has awarded over £2.3 billion to more than 52,000 projects throughout the UK. For more information visit www.community-fund.org.uk

2. In 2001-02. Across the UK the CF has given £351 million in 7,557 grants. In Research grants it has given £3,928,271 in 20 grants. Internationally it has given £21,639,301 in 75 grants. In Wales £20,237,978 in 522 grants. In Scotland £36,332,370 in 1,022 grants. In Northern Ireland £10,951,718 in 629 grants. In England £21,466,283 in 103 grants.

	27 March 2003 Community groups spring into action after latest lottery awards
	Awards worth nearly three million are being made to 21 groups in the Eastern Region today. A number of mental health charity projects, community training schemes, children's projects, older people's projects and a village hall are among those set to benefit from awards being announced today (27 March) by Community Fund. Community Fund Regional Awards Committee Chair Liz Harlaar said: "We are delighted to fund these projects to help isolated communities in our region. The Community Fund will continue to work in partnership with voluntary groups to improve the quality of life in disadvantaged communities." Groups celebrating today include: MIND in Dacorum has been awarded £204,488. Julie Attree, MIND's Director says, 'We are absolutely delighted with the award. It is a great relief as it gives us secure funding for the next three years. The previous project was successful in providing people experiencing mental health problems with social and therapeutic activities. We can now build on this and develop this very worthwhile project. We are moving forward in the direction of self-help where the service users will be actively involved in running the groups. Part of the award will also enable the development of an information and advice service. We are based in Hemel Hempstead and cover an area from Kings Langley to Tring in Hertfordshire. Thurrock Racial Unity Support Taskgroup (TRUST) Ltd has been awarded £277,880. Mrs Shakuntala Williams, Manager says, 'This award is brilliant! We will be able to continue work already established. We are very relieved and happy, finding continuation funding can be very hard. The award will help us to strengthen our black and minority voluntary and community groups. People will have somewhere to come to if they are feeling victimised. We will also be building on community relations and cohesion in Thurrock'. Great Yarmouth and Waveney MIND has been awarded £144,402. Anne Kirby, Services Development Manager says, 'I was so excited that I couldn't take it in, this is our second application and we are all very very pleased it has been successful! This award will make a massive difference to us. We have a big project planned which includes carpentry, furniture recycling, electrical and engineering work. We are motivated in an entrepreneurial sense towards the social enterprise aspect of working and our main aim is to become self-sustaining in the future'. The Seckford Foundation has been awarded £200,000. PR consultant for the Foundation, Mary Rudd says, 'The award is absolutely wonderful, it will make a big difference and is a huge boast for the project. The project will transform the living accommodation for elderly residents living in Woodbridge. We will be able to provide more space and security in a greatly improved environment. We are forward thinking as this work is desperately needed to bring the building up to the standards required in the future'. Notes for Editors 1. The Community Fund shares out money raised by the National Lottery to charities and to voluntary and community groups. Out of every £1 spent on the National Lottery, the Community Fund gets 4.7 pence. Since it began in 1995 it has awarded over £2.3 billion to more than 52,000 projects throughout the UK. For more information visit www.community-fund.org.uk 2. In 2001-02. Across the UK the CF has given £351 million in 7,557 grants. In Research grants it has given £3,928,271 in 20 grants. Internationally it has given £21,639,301 in 75 grants. In Wales £20,237,978 in 522 grants. In Scotland £36,332,370 in 1,022 grants. In Northern Ireland £10,951,718 in 629 grants. In England £21,466,283 in 103 grants.		Media enquiries Lynn Morgan, Regional Manager - 01223 449000 Richard Weller, Regional Development Officer - 01223 449010 Miranda McCoy, Communications Officer - 01223 449034