The National Lottery Community Fund in Wales today announces over £1.8m in grants to 56 groups across Wales

The National Lottery Community Fund in Wales is announcing over £1.8m in grants to 56 groups across Wales, including helping babies and toddlers in Blaenau Gwent and improving wellbeing by learning traditional crafts in Carmarthenshire:

• Rassau Resource Community Centre CIC - a grant to provide active babies and toddlers groups.
• John Burns Foundation - a grant to improve well-being while learning traditional crafts.

Rassau Resource Community Centre CIC from Blaenau Gwent is one of the many organisations who have been awarded funding by the by The National Lottery Community Fund to improve services.

With their grant of £8,495, they have chosen to develop activities specifically for babies and toddlers and their parents, within their community. These activities will support the babies and toddlers’ development, providing them with a social environment to help them thrive.

Jane Weale, Head of the Rassau Resource Community Centre, said:

"The Rassau Resource Community Centre is grateful for The National Lottery funding we have received. This grant will allow us to provide our Active Babies and Toddler groups at the Centre. These groups provide an opportunity for both the children and the parents to socialise, and they encourage active play. This funding will give us the opportunity to grow and expand our group. Thank you, The National Lottery Community Fund!"

Meanwhile The John Burns Foundation based in Carmarthenshire have also been awarded £10,000 to develop training for local people in traditional skills including hedge-laying, and hedgerow management. The foundation hopes the project will not only provide practical tuition in traditional crafts but also have a host of benefits related to working outdoors. The mental health charity 'Mind' advocates spending time in green space or bringing nature into people’s everyday life to benefit both mental and physical wellbeing.

Zara from Mencap Me Time spoke about the experience of participating in The John Burns Foundation’s ‘Harmonious Hedging’ Project saying:

“We were extremely pleased to be offered the hedge laying course at the Burns foundation. Both the staff and our team members with a learning disability from Mencap Me Time benefitted hugely from learning a new skill. We all our increased confidence and felt sheer pride at seeing the result. People we support commented on being one step nearer to a job in the future, which made us all smile.”

John Rose, Director Wales at The National Lottery Community Fund congratulated the projects saying:

"It's great to see how much can be achieved with a grant of £10,000. More than eight in ten of our grants are for under £10,000 – going to grassroots groups and charities across the UK bringing to life amazing ideas that matter to their communities. Our grants are made possible thanks to National Lottery players who raise over £30 million each week for good causes throughout the UK. Both Rassau Resource Community Centre and the John Burns Foundation are delivering projects that enhance people's lives by offering positive experiences to help them thrive."

56 grants worth a total of over £1.8 million have been awarded to communities across Wales to help local people and families.

See a full list of grants