National Lottery Community Fund Northern Ireland Committee members announced

The National Lottery Community Fund has appointed two new members to the Northern Ireland Committee, who will help make decisions on the investment of funding to support communities and improve people’s lives.

Announcing the appointments, Paul Sweeney, Chair of The National Lottery Community Fund NI Committee said: “I am delighted to welcome Anne-Marie McClure and Norman McKinley to our NI Committee at this challenging time for local communities. Both bring a wealth of insight and experience which will be invaluable in making decisions on how we can best support local people, reaching those most in need.

Welcoming the appointments, Blondel Cluff CBE, Chair of The National Lottery Community Fund said: “We look forward to working closely with Anne-Marie and Norman during this all-important time for communities across Northern Ireland and the UK. I have no doubt we will benefit from the skills and knowledge they bring.”

Anne-Marie and Norman join the Northern Ireland Committee as The Fund continues to engage with communities gathering insight around how National Lottery funding will be developed and delivered to support people and communities across the UK.

National Lottery players raise over £30 million each week for good causes across the UK. In the last 12 months we have given out nearly £600 million to 12,500 organisations reaching every local authority and constituency in the UK.

Anne-Marie McClure has worked and volunteered in the community and voluntary sector over the past 29 years and is stepping down as Chief Executive of Start360, a regional provider of support services to young people, adults at risk, and their families across Northern Ireland. Anne-Marie has many years’ experience on a range of Boards and Forums including the Northern Ireland Joint Forum and NIADA (Northern Ireland Alcohol & Drugs Alliance). She is Chair of CO3, the third sector leadership organisation, and was a public appointee to the Youth Council of Northern Ireland (YCNI) until 2019.

Commenting on her new role, Anne-Marie McClure said: “I am privileged to be given this opportunity to continue to facilitate positive change within communities as a member of the NI Committee. I want to see more active participation opportunities for those people and communities we are here to support and serve. It is they who know what is needed and just as importantly the actions necessary to make the change.

“Our communities are facing very difficult times. The need will be much greater so the impact of National Lottery funding must be felt all the more. I am committed to working together with and supporting the NI Committee and staff team to build on the successes of our grant-making to date whilst ensuring The Fund’s support is delivered where it is needed the most.”

Norman McKinley has spent his professional career working as a senior leader in the Voluntary Sector across the UK and was the Executive Director of UK Operations for the British Red Cross for six years prior to his retirement at the end of 2021. Norman is also a volunteer member of the Independent Monitoring Board at Hydebank Wood Prison and an active volunteer with the South Belfast Foodbank.

Reflecting on his appointment, Norman McKinley said: “Having seen the sector collaborate so successfully in responding to COVID-19, there’s a great deal of potential to harness and strengthen as part of local resilience building.

“I’ve seen first-hand the significant impact that The Fund has had both nationally and locally to improve the lives of vulnerable people and I’m pleased to be able to support the important work of the NI Committee at such a critical time for the Voluntary and Community sector in NI.”

The National Lottery Community Fund’s NI Committee has six members and is responsible for strategy, policy, planning and management of programmes in Northern Ireland within an overall strategic and financial framework determined by the UK Board. See full details of our NI Committee Members

Anne-Marie and Norman will take up their new roles on Tuesday 1 November 2022.

Date published: 1 September, 2022
Region: Northern Ireland

Notes to Editors

About The National Lottery Community Fund

We are the largest funder of community activity in the UK – we support people and communities to prosper and thrive.

We’re proud to award money raised by National Lottery players to communities across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and to work closely with Government to distribute vital grants and funding from key Government programmes and initiatives.

Our funding has a positive impact and makes a difference to people’s lives. We support projects focused on things that matter, including economic prosperity, employment, young people, mental health, loneliness and helping the UK reach Net Zero by 2050.

Thanks to the support of National Lottery players, our funding is open to everyone. We’re privileged to be able to work with the smallest of local groups right up to UK-wide charities, enabling people and communities to bring their ambitions to life.

National Lottery players raise over £30 million each week for good causes throughout the UK. Since The National Lottery began in 1994, £43 billion has been raised for good causes. National Lottery funding has been used to support over 635,000 projects - 255 projects per postcode area.