Sunderland charity helping city’s marginalised communities gets £144,000 National Lottery boost

A Sunderland charity has received more than £144,000 to continue providing essential support to some of the city’s most marginalised communities, facing multiple disadvantages, following the COVID-19 crisis.

This vital funding has been awarded by The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest funder of community activity in the UK.

Working with disabled asylum seekers and refugees, Fightback provides support services designed reduce isolation and improve their quality of life. These include coffee mornings, a barber, a befriending scheme, and a drop-in centre for people needing advice on education, employment, and housing issues.

As the COVID-19 crisis caused and exacerbated new and existing pressures, such as financial and housing problems, and ill mental health, Fightback has extended its help and opened its doors to anyone in Sunderland in need of aid – supporting over 400 people a year.

During the height of the pandemic, the charity’s devoted and tireless manager, Mahtab “Matti” Morovat, along with 15 volunteers, worked around the clock to ensure Fightback’s members received critical support.

Matti said: “For us as a charity, since lockdown has been lifted, things haven’t calmed down because the pandemic has had a massive impact on the mental health of our members. Some people don’t want to come out of their house, some clients come to us with three masks on, and the need for food has increased because so many have people have lost their jobs.

“Thanks to National Lottery funding, Fightback can help to bring the local asylum seeker and refugee community together to reduce isolation, build people’s confidence and autonomy, while improving integration and community cohesion.”

The charity manager was recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honour List in June in which Matti received a British Empire Medal for her dedication to her local community.

Matti said: “…I could not believe it. It’s an honour to receive that kind of award. It’s been team work though - without our team of fantastic volunteers, our trustees, our funders such as The National Lottery Community Fund, we wouldn’t have been able to provide support during the pandemic and beyond.”

Duncan Nicholson, Head of Funding for the North East and Cumbria at The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “Fightback is playing a crucial role in ensuring some of Sunderland’s most vulnerable people receive access to necessities and support services they most desperately need.

“Thanks to National Lottery players, this vital funding is having a huge impact on people’s lives across the city. It’s so inspiring to see dedicated volunteers and groups, like Fightback, supporting their communities to prosper and thrive. This funding has given a much-needed cash boost to communities, so they can build back stronger from the pandemic.”

Twenty charities and community groups across Sunderland have been awarded almost £382,000 of National Lottery funding in the past quarter*, while almost £3 million has been distributed to 123 community organisations across the North East in the past three months*. National Lottery players raise £36 million each week for good causes throughout the UK.

Sunderland isn’t alone in benefiting from National Lottery funding. Today it was announced that almost £65 million of National Lottery funding awarded to over 1,700 community groups.

The National Lottery Community Fund distributes money raised by National Lottery players for good causes. Thanks to National Lottery players, last year we awarded over half a billion pounds (£588.2 million) of life-changing funding to communities across the UK. Over eight in ten (83%) of our grants are for under £10,000 – going to grassroots groups and charities across the UK that are bringing to life amazing ideas that matter to their communities.

To find out more visit www.TNLCommunityFund.org.uk