270504Lottery

Since the Community Fund started in October 1995, 1832 grants totalling £189,707,583 of Lottery money has been awarded to voluntary groups in the Yorkshire and Humber region.

Groups that received grants include:

In North Yorkshire:

Scarborough and District MENCAP – awarded £91,332

Scarborough and District MENCAP will use this grant to provide advice and support to adults and children with learning disabilities through home visits and support groups. The project will help to bring about long-term change by reducing stress and increasing the confidence and skills of those involved, which in turn will lead to better personal relationships and increased integration into mainstream activities and educational opportunities.

Speaking on behalf of the group, David Mennell, General Manager, said: ‘It is absolutely wonderful to receive this grant. People with learning disabilities often find themselves excluded from society as a consequence of prejudice and segregation. We will now be able to continue to offer much-needed support to the families we work with in order to overcome these barriers.’

In East Yorkshire

Grimsby, Cleethorpes and District Association for Mental Health - awarded £54,452

The Flowers for Recovery project has been developed in response to requests from current service users for more outdoor activities as part of the programme of support currently offered by the association. Beneficiaries will use gardening as a tool for developing social and time management skills in order to improve their general assertiveness and confidence levels. The fruits of their labour will then be used to bring a little sunshine to others experiencing mental health problems, with service users working with volunteers to prepare and deliver the flowers they have grown to psychiatric wards in the area.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Anthony Stout, Manager, said: ‘This project will bring staff, volunteers, service users and statutory organisation’s together to work towards creating a harmonious atmosphere for patients to aid their recovery. We would like to thank the Community Fund for recognising the importance of this work and for its encouragement to create new and original activities.’

In Doncaster

Homestart Doncaster – awarded £89,372

Home Start Doncaster will use it’s award of £89,372 to increase the numbers of volunteers it works with, enabling the organisation to meet the demand from families in the area for one to one support. Once trained, volunteers will then offer weekly home-based support to the growing number of families referred to the group. The befriending service currently helps parents and children coping with issues such as disability, social isolation, poverty, teenage pregnancy, poor nutrition and the non-take up of health and community services. The expansion of the services will allow the project to widen its support to other disadvantaged groups, and tackle difficult situations before they reach crisis point.

Speaking on behalf of the group Judith Farrell, Senior Co-ordinator, said: ‘Home- Start Doncaster is delighted to have been awarded this grant from the Community Fund. It will help the scheme to meet the heavy demand we are currently experiencing for our family support service more effectively, whilst also providing us with the extra capacity to offer training and work experience to increased numbers of local people through their voluntary work with us.’

In Wakefield

Study Rovers - awarded £33,721

Study Rovers will use the money to improve access to the centre for wheelchair users by constructing a ramp, upgrading toilet facilities and installing a platform lift. Based in the old club shop, the project uses the professional sporting environment provided by Featherstone Rovers RLFC as a source of inspiration for local teenagers who have been experiencing difficulties in a traditional school environment, with members of the club encouraging reintegration with education through the provision of mentoring support. This grant will enable young people who have been further disadvantaged by their disability to take advantage of the IT facilities provided by the centre.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Paul Cox, Funding Co-ordinator, said: ‘This grant will enable us to open up a world of opportunity to wheelchair users like myself. The new facilities will enable us to build on our capacity to target the young people who are most in need of our support and help us to attract further funding for this valuable scheme.’

In Rotherham

The FACE advice centre - awarded £134,782 and the Wath upon Dearn Community Partnership - awarded £188,238

The FACE advice centre will use the grant of £134,782 to help tackle the multiple debt problems of those struggling to overcome the disadvantages associated with social and economic deprivation. It will do this by recruiting and training volunteers to provide advice and mentoring support to people in the locality with particular focus on groups such as the long-term unemployed, disabled people, lone parents and black and minority ethnic communities who have been identified as being at increased risk of developing severe debt problems. Through it’s encouragement of sustainable methods of financial management at an individual level the project will also address the wider economic problems caused by declining local industry.

Speaking on behalf of the group Sabi Akram, Centre Manager, said: ‘We’re delighted that the Community Fund has awarded this grant which will allow us to put this innovative project into action. The debt project will complement our current work and enable us to target those who have previously lacked support, bringing a much needed service to the area.’

Wath upon Dearne Community Partnership has been awarded £188,238 to ensure the long-term sustainability of its work in Rotherham. Like the other partnerships supported by the scheme, the project will have a positive impact on people living within the local community by promoting beneficiaries’ social well-being, confidence and self esteem. It will improve skills levels and increase employability, whilst building the capacity of voluntary and community groups and delivering sustainable projects for the benefit of the community.

Speaking on behalf of the group Kevin Sanderson, Project Worker, said: ‘This award can only be good news for the hard-working partnership team and the community as a whole. We would like to acknowledge the input of all those who have been involved in the development of a project which clearly demonstrates the benefits of partnership and multi-agency working. It is fantastic to be recognised for the success of our work and to know that our ability to help the projects we work with to become more sustainable for the future is valued.’

In West Yorkshire:

Caring Together in Woodhouse and Little London - awarded £86,926

Caring Together in Woodhouse and Little London has been awarded £86,926 to provide a range of services and activities to older people that enable them to retain their independence and play a meaningful part in the local community. The grant will enable established services within the neighbourhood to continue, whilst supporting the development of targeted work for groups of older people who are harder to reach, such as those with sensory impairments, black elders and older carers.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Cherril Cliff , Project Co-ordinator, said: ‘This award is excellent news for us and the people we work with in an area experiencing extreme social disadvantage. It safeguards our locality based neighbourhood work, whilst enabling us to build on what has been achieved in the past through the development of support services and social network groups for older people needing more intensive support.’

In Kirklees:
Huddesfield Chinese Community Centre - awarded £180,409

The Huddersfield Chinese Community Centre will use its grant of £180,409 to provide a unique range of activities and services such as health advocacy, language classes, childcare facilities, education opportunities and employment guidance to their beneficiaries. The services have been developed in response to a clearly identified need in the area to provide facilities for members of the growing Chinese community and will bring about long-term change by combating social isolation and encouraging greater participation in community life through the development of individual confidence levels.
Speaking on behalf of the group Sui Cheung, Company Secretary, said: ‘We are delighted that the hard work of our volunteers has paid off in enabling us to secure this grant. We will now be able to employ paid staff for the first time in the group’s history and build on the important work we have been doing in the Huddersfield area to bring the Chinese community together.’

	21 May 2004 Over £2.5 million of Lottery money for groups in the Yorkshire and Humber
	Twenty-one groups throughout Yorkshire and the Humber received a grant announced today by the Community Fund, one of the National Lottery distributors. In total, £2,561,575 has been awarded to voluntary and community groups in our region. Since the Community Fund started in October 1995, 1832 grants totalling £189,707,583 of Lottery money has been awarded to voluntary groups in the Yorkshire and Humber region. Groups that received grants include: In North Yorkshire: Scarborough and District MENCAP – awarded £91,332 Scarborough and District MENCAP will use this grant to provide advice and support to adults and children with learning disabilities through home visits and support groups. The project will help to bring about long-term change by reducing stress and increasing the confidence and skills of those involved, which in turn will lead to better personal relationships and increased integration into mainstream activities and educational opportunities. Speaking on behalf of the group, David Mennell, General Manager, said: ‘It is absolutely wonderful to receive this grant. People with learning disabilities often find themselves excluded from society as a consequence of prejudice and segregation. We will now be able to continue to offer much-needed support to the families we work with in order to overcome these barriers.’ In East Yorkshire Grimsby, Cleethorpes and District Association for Mental Health - awarded £54,452 The Flowers for Recovery project has been developed in response to requests from current service users for more outdoor activities as part of the programme of support currently offered by the association. Beneficiaries will use gardening as a tool for developing social and time management skills in order to improve their general assertiveness and confidence levels. The fruits of their labour will then be used to bring a little sunshine to others experiencing mental health problems, with service users working with volunteers to prepare and deliver the flowers they have grown to psychiatric wards in the area. Speaking on behalf of the group, Anthony Stout, Manager, said: ‘This project will bring staff, volunteers, service users and statutory organisation’s together to work towards creating a harmonious atmosphere for patients to aid their recovery. We would like to thank the Community Fund for recognising the importance of this work and for its encouragement to create new and original activities.’ In Doncaster Homestart Doncaster – awarded £89,372 Home Start Doncaster will use it’s award of £89,372 to increase the numbers of volunteers it works with, enabling the organisation to meet the demand from families in the area for one to one support. Once trained, volunteers will then offer weekly home-based support to the growing number of families referred to the group. The befriending service currently helps parents and children coping with issues such as disability, social isolation, poverty, teenage pregnancy, poor nutrition and the non-take up of health and community services. The expansion of the services will allow the project to widen its support to other disadvantaged groups, and tackle difficult situations before they reach crisis point. Speaking on behalf of the group Judith Farrell, Senior Co-ordinator, said: ‘Home- Start Doncaster is delighted to have been awarded this grant from the Community Fund. It will help the scheme to meet the heavy demand we are currently experiencing for our family support service more effectively, whilst also providing us with the extra capacity to offer training and work experience to increased numbers of local people through their voluntary work with us.’ In Wakefield Study Rovers - awarded £33,721 Study Rovers will use the money to improve access to the centre for wheelchair users by constructing a ramp, upgrading toilet facilities and installing a platform lift. Based in the old club shop, the project uses the professional sporting environment provided by Featherstone Rovers RLFC as a source of inspiration for local teenagers who have been experiencing difficulties in a traditional school environment, with members of the club encouraging reintegration with education through the provision of mentoring support. This grant will enable young people who have been further disadvantaged by their disability to take advantage of the IT facilities provided by the centre. Speaking on behalf of the group, Paul Cox, Funding Co-ordinator, said: ‘This grant will enable us to open up a world of opportunity to wheelchair users like myself. The new facilities will enable us to build on our capacity to target the young people who are most in need of our support and help us to attract further funding for this valuable scheme.’ In Rotherham The FACE advice centre - awarded £134,782 and the Wath upon Dearn Community Partnership - awarded £188,238 The FACE advice centre will use the grant of £134,782 to help tackle the multiple debt problems of those struggling to overcome the disadvantages associated with social and economic deprivation. It will do this by recruiting and training volunteers to provide advice and mentoring support to people in the locality with particular focus on groups such as the long-term unemployed, disabled people, lone parents and black and minority ethnic communities who have been identified as being at increased risk of developing severe debt problems. Through it’s encouragement of sustainable methods of financial management at an individual level the project will also address the wider economic problems caused by declining local industry. Speaking on behalf of the group Sabi Akram, Centre Manager, said: ‘We’re delighted that the Community Fund has awarded this grant which will allow us to put this innovative project into action. The debt project will complement our current work and enable us to target those who have previously lacked support, bringing a much needed service to the area.’ Wath upon Dearne Community Partnership has been awarded £188,238 to ensure the long-term sustainability of its work in Rotherham. Like the other partnerships supported by the scheme, the project will have a positive impact on people living within the local community by promoting beneficiaries’ social well-being, confidence and self esteem. It will improve skills levels and increase employability, whilst building the capacity of voluntary and community groups and delivering sustainable projects for the benefit of the community. Speaking on behalf of the group Kevin Sanderson, Project Worker, said: ‘This award can only be good news for the hard-working partnership team and the community as a whole. We would like to acknowledge the input of all those who have been involved in the development of a project which clearly demonstrates the benefits of partnership and multi-agency working. It is fantastic to be recognised for the success of our work and to know that our ability to help the projects we work with to become more sustainable for the future is valued.’ In West Yorkshire: Caring Together in Woodhouse and Little London - awarded £86,926 Caring Together in Woodhouse and Little London has been awarded £86,926 to provide a range of services and activities to older people that enable them to retain their independence and play a meaningful part in the local community. The grant will enable established services within the neighbourhood to continue, whilst supporting the development of targeted work for groups of older people who are harder to reach, such as those with sensory impairments, black elders and older carers. Speaking on behalf of the group, Cherril Cliff , Project Co-ordinator, said: ‘This award is excellent news for us and the people we work with in an area experiencing extreme social disadvantage. It safeguards our locality based neighbourhood work, whilst enabling us to build on what has been achieved in the past through the development of support services and social network groups for older people needing more intensive support.’ In Kirklees: Huddesfield Chinese Community Centre - awarded £180,409 The Huddersfield Chinese Community Centre will use its grant of £180,409 to provide a unique range of activities and services such as health advocacy, language classes, childcare facilities, education opportunities and employment guidance to their beneficiaries. The services have been developed in response to a clearly identified need in the area to provide facilities for members of the growing Chinese community and will bring about long-term change by combating social isolation and encouraging greater participation in community life through the development of individual confidence levels. Speaking on behalf of the group Sui Cheung, Company Secretary, said: ‘We are delighted that the hard work of our volunteers has paid off in enabling us to secure this grant. We will now be able to employ paid staff for the first time in the group’s history and build on the important work we have been doing in the Huddersfield area to bring the Chinese community together.’		To find out more about the Community Fund call our Enquiries Officer on: 0113 224 5301. Open 9.30am until 12.30pm Monday to Friday.