Disabled People and their Carers set to get more lottery funding

It has added 'Disabled people and their carers' to its list of priorities for funding in the South East. There is strong competition for lottery funding and Community Fund currently approves one in three of the applications it receives. Groups falling into a priority increase their chances of success.

Dorothy Buckrell, Regional Manager for the South East, explains: "Our priorities help us to spend our money effectively - tackling disadvantage and improving the quality of people's lives. We agreed our original priorities after consultation last year, but always said we would keep them under review.

"In September our committee decided that an additional priority group disabled people who live independently in their own homes, and their carers would help ensure our money is reaching those most in need of our funding".

The move has been welcomed by groups working with disabled people and their carers in the South East.

Roland Higgins from West Sussex Association for Disabled People says: "Supporting disabled people to be independent in their own homes has been our objective for many years. We are delighted that the Community Fund has recognised the importance of such work and look forward to seeing the results of the funding in the coming months."

Robert Taylor from Disability Information Services Kent says: "The new Lottery funding will enable many of the smaller voluntary groups to provide better services to those disabled people and their carers who fall outside the Statutory net. In my part of Kent services for physically disabled adults are few and far between. We hope that the Lottery will fund new projects to help this age and disability group."

Dorothy Buckrell, Regional Manager for the South East, adds: "Community Fund has four themes that guide our grant-making in the South East and it's important for people to know about these. We are looking for inclusion and cohesion - evidence that projects are based on real partnership and participation. We feel it is essential that projects are community fed and community led that means that local people are thoroughly involved. We expect projects to focus on prevention and early intervention - to tackle the causes of social problems. And we are also looking for projects that support independent living in people's own homes.

"Projects working with disabled people living in their own homes and those who care for them could fit well within these overall themes. We hope that community groups across the region will respond by making applications for support for their projects."

The Community Fund's other priority groups remain:

Vulnerable young people
Families with children under stress
Older people who are isolated or vulnerable living in their own homes and the people who care for them
People in areas where there are significant pockets of deprivation
Isolated people living the rural areas with very poor access to services
People who are homeless or in need of independent living support
People from Black and ethnic minorities
Refugees and asylum seekers

Eighty per cent of the Community Fund's budget will be focused on projects working with these priority groups. The remaining fifth of the budget will still be available for generalist projects that benefit local people.

Notes for editors:

Community Fund gives out money raised by the National Lottery to charities and voluntary and community groups. Out of every £1 spent on the National Lottery the Community Fund gets 4.7pence.
Since 1995 Community Fund has awarded over 55,000 grants to UK charities and voluntary groups.
Disabled people and their carers are among Community Fund's priority beneficiaries as outlined in the Community Fund's Strategic Plan 2002-2007.
The legal name of the Community Fund remains the National Lottery Charities Board. The National Lottery Charities Board was set up in 1994 and changed its operation name to Community Fund - Lottery money making a difference in April 2001.

	27 October 2003 Disabled People and their Carers set to get more lottery funding
	Groups working with disabled people and their carers in the South East look set to get more lottery funding, thanks to a decision taken by the Community Fund at a recent review meeting. It has added 'Disabled people and their carers' to its list of priorities for funding in the South East. There is strong competition for lottery funding and Community Fund currently approves one in three of the applications it receives. Groups falling into a priority increase their chances of success. Dorothy Buckrell, Regional Manager for the South East, explains: "Our priorities help us to spend our money effectively - tackling disadvantage and improving the quality of people's lives. We agreed our original priorities after consultation last year, but always said we would keep them under review. "In September our committee decided that an additional priority group disabled people who live independently in their own homes, and their carers would help ensure our money is reaching those most in need of our funding". The move has been welcomed by groups working with disabled people and their carers in the South East. Roland Higgins from West Sussex Association for Disabled People says: "Supporting disabled people to be independent in their own homes has been our objective for many years. We are delighted that the Community Fund has recognised the importance of such work and look forward to seeing the results of the funding in the coming months." Robert Taylor from Disability Information Services Kent says: "The new Lottery funding will enable many of the smaller voluntary groups to provide better services to those disabled people and their carers who fall outside the Statutory net. In my part of Kent services for physically disabled adults are few and far between. We hope that the Lottery will fund new projects to help this age and disability group." Dorothy Buckrell, Regional Manager for the South East, adds: "Community Fund has four themes that guide our grant-making in the South East and it's important for people to know about these. We are looking for inclusion and cohesion - evidence that projects are based on real partnership and participation. We feel it is essential that projects are community fed and community led that means that local people are thoroughly involved. We expect projects to focus on prevention and early intervention - to tackle the causes of social problems. And we are also looking for projects that support independent living in people's own homes. "Projects working with disabled people living in their own homes and those who care for them could fit well within these overall themes. We hope that community groups across the region will respond by making applications for support for their projects." The Community Fund's other priority groups remain: Vulnerable young people Families with children under stress Older people who are isolated or vulnerable living in their own homes and the people who care for them People in areas where there are significant pockets of deprivation Isolated people living the rural areas with very poor access to services People who are homeless or in need of independent living support People from Black and ethnic minorities Refugees and asylum seekers Eighty per cent of the Community Fund's budget will be focused on projects working with these priority groups. The remaining fifth of the budget will still be available for generalist projects that benefit local people. Notes for editors: Community Fund gives out money raised by the National Lottery to charities and voluntary and community groups. Out of every £1 spent on the National Lottery the Community Fund gets 4.7pence. Since 1995 Community Fund has awarded over 55,000 grants to UK charities and voluntary groups. Disabled people and their carers are among Community Fund's priority beneficiaries as outlined in the Community Fund's Strategic Plan 2002-2007. The legal name of the Community Fund remains the National Lottery Charities Board. The National Lottery Charities Board was set up in 1994 and changed its operation name to Community Fund - Lottery money making a difference in April 2001.		Media Enquiries: For more information contact Sandra Lamont on 01483 462924 or 07801 837428.