290503 Lottery funds reducing but the Community Fund ensures that Norfolk is still a winner!

The Regional Awards Committee Chair Liz Harlaar said: "For the third year running our grant income is significantly reduced. The awards made by our regional committee demonstrate our commitment to make our money stretch as far as possible, some of the grants we have made in Norfolk are larger than we would now usually expect to award but we recognised the very particular strength of these applications. Increasingly we will be seeking to make smaller awards for modest projects which can demonstrate good value for money.

With less funding available it is becoming harder for the regional committee to make decisions from the many high quality applications received on those we fund and those we reject.

We hope to work closely with our customers in the following months to be clear about the types of applications which are most likely to be successful".

Lynn Morgan, Regional Manager said, "Even though hard decisions have to be made we are still funding to some very good projects. Norfolk has done well this round and although charitable organisations are receiving smaller awards they are putting the funding to excellent use - stretching lottery funding even further and benefiting whole communities".

Groups celebrating today in Norfolk include:

Norfolk Millennium Trust for Carers has been awarded £100,000. Chair, Paddy Seligman says " We are overjoyed as are all the trustees at the success of our bid. Our president Lady Mary Colman is thrilled at the news of the grant and grateful for the increased help it will generate to unpaid carers.

We will virtually double the number of carers we are presently able to help. The award will enable us to purchase equipment such as washing machines, dryers, power packs for wheelchairs, swivel seats (access for disabled people into cars) and computers to loan to carers in Norfolk. The award also raises awareness of the valuable assistance the Trust is able to give and helps us continue targeting our fundraising towards £1million.

It has been a great joy to work with the people at the Community Fund who have been so helpful to us in steering this bid to its successful fruition. Although I am sorry for those who have not been successful we are thrilled to bits with this additional money for Norfolk".

The Voluntary Sector Initiative for Professional Development has been awarded £298, 532. Finance and Business Officer Mr Tompson says, "The organisation is very pleased with the award - it is important that we expand our services. Our volunteers will focus on their personal development and work, working towards a closer identity within the voluntary sector".

The Norfolk and Norwich Association for Mental Health has been awarded £59,862. This is a project to provide a variety of services for people with mental ill-health and to promote good mental health to communities in rural North Norfolk.

West Norfolk Community Transport Project has been awarded £65,536. General Manager, Barry Langley says, "We are enormously pleased, there is much much more we want to do. This grant will allow us to continue developing the community transport service across West Norfolk and Breckland, reducing rural isolation and social exclusion.

Norfolk Elders Advocacy Alliance has been awarded £144,573. The project will enable the expansion of the service in Norfolk for people aged 55+, improving their access to information, advice, specialist services and providing the opportunity and skills to explore a range of options and secure services appropriate to their needs.

	29 May 2003 Lottery funds reducing but the Community Fund ensures that Norfolk is still a winner!
	The Community Fund has today awarded 22 grants worth over £2.5 million throughout the Eastern region. Five organisations have been successful in Norfolk with funding of £668,503. The Regional Awards Committee Chair Liz Harlaar said: "For the third year running our grant income is significantly reduced. The awards made by our regional committee demonstrate our commitment to make our money stretch as far as possible, some of the grants we have made in Norfolk are larger than we would now usually expect to award but we recognised the very particular strength of these applications. Increasingly we will be seeking to make smaller awards for modest projects which can demonstrate good value for money. With less funding available it is becoming harder for the regional committee to make decisions from the many high quality applications received on those we fund and those we reject. We hope to work closely with our customers in the following months to be clear about the types of applications which are most likely to be successful". Lynn Morgan, Regional Manager said, "Even though hard decisions have to be made we are still funding to some very good projects. Norfolk has done well this round and although charitable organisations are receiving smaller awards they are putting the funding to excellent use - stretching lottery funding even further and benefiting whole communities". Groups celebrating today in Norfolk include: Norfolk Millennium Trust for Carers has been awarded £100,000. Chair, Paddy Seligman says " We are overjoyed as are all the trustees at the success of our bid. Our president Lady Mary Colman is thrilled at the news of the grant and grateful for the increased help it will generate to unpaid carers. We will virtually double the number of carers we are presently able to help. The award will enable us to purchase equipment such as washing machines, dryers, power packs for wheelchairs, swivel seats (access for disabled people into cars) and computers to loan to carers in Norfolk. The award also raises awareness of the valuable assistance the Trust is able to give and helps us continue targeting our fundraising towards £1million. It has been a great joy to work with the people at the Community Fund who have been so helpful to us in steering this bid to its successful fruition. Although I am sorry for those who have not been successful we are thrilled to bits with this additional money for Norfolk". The Voluntary Sector Initiative for Professional Development has been awarded £298, 532. Finance and Business Officer Mr Tompson says, "The organisation is very pleased with the award - it is important that we expand our services. Our volunteers will focus on their personal development and work, working towards a closer identity within the voluntary sector". The Norfolk and Norwich Association for Mental Health has been awarded £59,862. This is a project to provide a variety of services for people with mental ill-health and to promote good mental health to communities in rural North Norfolk. West Norfolk Community Transport Project has been awarded £65,536. General Manager, Barry Langley says, "We are enormously pleased, there is much much more we want to do. This grant will allow us to continue developing the community transport service across West Norfolk and Breckland, reducing rural isolation and social exclusion. Norfolk Elders Advocacy Alliance has been awarded £144,573. The project will enable the expansion of the service in Norfolk for people aged 55+, improving their access to information, advice, specialist services and providing the opportunity and skills to explore a range of options and secure services appropriate to their needs. 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. 2. Community Fund is the operating name of the National Lottery Charities Board. We are the country's biggest funder of charities and voluntary groups. 3. Since 1995 the Community Fund has awarded £2.4 billion to more than 54,000 projects. Full details are available in the "What we've funded > Search past grants" section of our website.		Media enquiries Lynn Morgan, Regional Manager - 01223 449000 Julia Davis, Enquiries Officer - 01223 449018 Richard Weller, Regional Development Officer - 01223 449010 Miranda McCoy, Communications Officer - 01223 449034