£3.3m National Lottery funding, a welcome Christmas present for almost 100 community groups

The National Lottery Community Fund has today announced £3,313,174 of grants benefiting 93 community projects, supporting people across Northern Ireland. 

A full list of all awards can be downloaded here.

Projects being funded are supporting those in need over the festive season and enabling communities to have a better 2022 through activities to improve mental health, support children with disabilities and help people new to Northern Ireland to integrate.

One of those celebrating today is Lettershandoney and District Development Group who are using a £194,000 grant to run a support programme in community centres which will improve the health and wellbeing of over 500 families. 

Seán Carlin, Manager, Lettershandoney and District Development Group said: “This resource for services for the elderly, our young people and the community as a whole is a breath of fresh air, re-engaging people, building back services and helping deliver new ones at a time when rural communities are struggling.

“We had a socially distanced and support bubble dinner, with older people from four villages involved, which was such a wellbeing boost to everyone in the area. Thank you National Lottery Community Fund.”

Hands and Voices Deaf Children’s Society is using an £8,200 grant to run activities, including sign language classes for deaf children and their families.

Julie McLaughlin, Chairperson, Hands and Voices Deaf Children’s Society said: “For a group like ours this amount makes such a huge impact. When a deaf child is born, sign language lessons are not automatically offered so to be able to give this opportunity to families is wonderful and will make a huge difference to their lives.

“This funding meant we could organise our first get together since the beginning of the pandemic, when kids got to meet up with their deaf friends and see Santa, which is so important for them to feel part of a community.”

Thanks to National Lottery players more than £30 million a week is raised for good causes like these, across the UK. The vast majority of grants awarded are for smaller amounts of under £10,000, going to the heart of communities to make a big difference.

All Nations Ministries is using a £9,400 grant to bring people from the local community together, including refugees, asylum seekers and people from black, Asian and minority ethnic communities, to discuss issues of acceptance and integration.

David Maganda, Director, All Nations Ministries said: “We’re excited to start our project in the new year, helping people share their stories to educate and create awareness in local communities, so they can better understand the challenges that newcomers face living in Northern Ireland, encouraging acceptance and integration”.

Beat Carnival is using a £10,000 grant to bring communities in two Shankill neighbourhoods in Belfast together, to share their stories, reduce isolation and improve wellbeing.

David Boyd, Director, Beat Carnival said: “This National Lottery funding has already allowed us to work with community groups, residents and young people to create an outdoor Winter Light Festival. People were eager for ways to reconnect again safely, and they paraded from one neighbourhood to the other, bringing colour and spectacle to residents’ doors – lifting the mood of everyone and helping community spirit across the area.”

Paul Sweeney, The National Lottery Community Fund’s NI Chair said: “It’s inspiring to see such a diverse range of projects being funded as we continue to rise to the challenges of COVID-19, helping people stay connected and supporting wellbeing.

“Thanks to the money raised by people who play The National Lottery, these grants will make a big difference to people across Northern Ireland in 2022 and beyond.”

For more information on National Lottery funding visit our website www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding/northern-ireland or social media.