Meet the amazing people and projects behind our new strategy video
As the name of our new seven-year strategy says – It starts with community, and in our new video we focus on some amazing projects from Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and England, and the people behind them, who share their inspiring stories with us.
Watch the video and read their stories below.
Get ready to be inspired
Rashta Butt – The Unity Hubb, Birmingham
Rashta Butt has a long history of community work in Birmingham, having run activities in the area for the last seven years, bringing together communities and encouraging them to share their skills and interests.
The Unity Hubb is based at St Margaret’s Church in the Ward End area of the city, and welcomes people from nine different cultures to share ideas and make the kind of meaningful connections that can help the area and its community to grow. It has received a number of National Lottery Awards for All grants over the years, including funding for weekly activities for isolated men or those experiencing grief or loss, and group sessions to help people overcome feelings of loneliness and low levels of physical and mental wellbeing.
Rashta, the Unity Hubb’s Community Development and Centre Manager, said: “Thanks to The National Lottery Community Fund we have been able to tackle social isolation and promote health and wellbeing within our community. We know that bringing people together can help unearth an abundance of skills and experience that can be utilised to strengthen and improve communities.
“We also know that bringing communities together helps to establish a sense of pride in the areas in which they reside.”
Ceridwen Hughes - Same But Different, Mold
Ceridwen set up Same But Different in Flintshire, Wales, in 2015 as a photography project after her son Isaac was diagnosed with Moebius Syndrome, which causes acute facial paralysis.
Using her creative skills, she wanted to tell not only Isaac’s story, but to help families in a similar situation tell there’s through exhibitions and via the organisation’s website.
Same But Different has since been successful in receiving a number of National Lottery grants from and has launched a number of new services, including RAREhub, which provides advice and signposting for parents that simply don’t know where to turn due to the rare nature of their children’s condition.
Ceridwen said: “One of the biggest issues facing society at the moment is loneliness and isolation, whether that’s the after-effects of the COVID pandemic, the cost of living crisis or health inequalities. We help families to amplify their voices and tell their unique stories, which in-turn helps to reduce stigmas and brings communities together. We do this with the fantastic support of The National Lottery Community Fund, which has helped us financially and just by knowing that they are there if we need them.”
Karen Healey, Creggan Country Park, Derry
Creggan Country Park in Derry is a not-for-profit organisation set up by the community for the community in 1997 and provides outdoor recreation for all ages, as well as a community fridge that addresses climate change and food poverty locally.
Karen Healey works as an Environmental Officer at the park and, with our help has seen it transformed over the years into a thriving environmental education hub spreading awareness of the climate challenge and bringing people together in a shared passion for the outdoors.
She says: “The National Lottery Community Fund has made a big difference to our project. They helped us expand into new areas with things like the Breathing Place, which provides willow domes and picnic areas for people to enjoy and use to help improve their overall sense of wellbeing. Our community fridge is also a lifeline for a lot of people who are having a difficult time dealing with food poverty, and also addresses climate change by reducing food waste.
“We’re really proud of the work that we’ve been able to achieve. Our Nature Hub, for example, was a hotspot for anti-social behaviour in years gone by, but that’s now been transformed into an environmental education centre, which benefits all ages and abilities.”
Gavin McKenna, Reach Every Generation, Chelmsford
Gavin McKenna heads up Reach Every Generation in Chelmsford, which has received National Lottery funding to help young people escape the trappings of gang culture. It does this by providing access to everything from music lessons and a free gym to life skills workshops and IT facilities.
Gavin set up Reach Every Generation after experiencing youth violence himself and, after turning his life around, now uses his lived experience to help other young people at risk of criminal exploitation.
Gavin, who is Operations Manager at Reach Every Generation, said: “I’m a big advocate for young people and I see now, in the times that we’re living in, that many of them are living dysfunctional home lives, with little hope of escape.
“The National Lottery Community Fund’s new strategy isn’t just about grant making, it’s also providing a form of advocacy for our young people, showing them that it isn’t just local organisations that are there to help them, but that their challenges and frustrations are being recognised on a national level.”
Gregor Ritchie, Men Matter Scotland, Glasgow
Men Matter Scotland is a suicide prevention charity based in Glasgow and provides a safe space and a peer-to-peer support network for men struggling with their mental health.
It provides opportunities for men to get involved in a variety of recreational activities, including singing, football and hill walking.
Gregor struggled with his own mental health as a youngster, which saw him attempt to take his own life. Unable to find mental health support that worked for him, he and another member of his community set up a pilot project called Dad’s Matter, which they ran for 13 weeks to much success, with all participants stating that they needed it, or a service like it, to continue.
After realising it wasn’t just Dads that needed such a service, they set up Men Matter Scotland, which now welcomes men with a wide range of mental health challenges and life experiences, with the youngest being 16 and the oldest 95.
The organisation has used a number of grants which have helped it reach out to more men that find themselves struggling with mental health issues.
Gregor said: “We welcome The National Lottery Community Fund’s focus on health and wellbeing as one of its top priorities. If we can increase people’s wellbeing, the ripple effects that this can have on their loved ones, their friends, their neighbours and communities can be immense.”
It starts with Community outlines how we will focus our funding, learning and efforts on four key missions. These are to support communities to come together; to be environmentally sustainable; help children and young people thrive; and enable people to live healthier lives.
These inspiring organisations are already doing fantastic work in these areas and we are committed to helping them, and others, do more.