Over £1 million from The National Lottery Community Fund to communities in need across Wales this Christmas

49 community groups are celebrating a grant from this month’s total £1,009,466 of National Lottery funding. This Christmas, community groups in Wales are supporting community groups and charities navigating the cost-of-living crisis and helping those struggling with addiction.

Reverend Canon Mark Owen, chair of Rhymney valley foodbank told us:

“In recent months the Islwyn Ministry Area Foodbank has seen an escalating rise in individuals and families not being able to buy food due to the disproportionate rise in the cost of household energy. With this National Lottery funding, we can build on our existing service and offer warm spaces to people living in some of the most deprived communities in Wales. The Trustees of the Ministry Area would like to acknowledge their sincere thanks. We look forward to providing meaningful opportunities for people facing challenges navigating their way around the cost-of-living crisis”

Welcoming the £23,000 grant for a year to provide a warm hub offering hot refreshments, transport and access. Islwyn Ministry Area will offer support and guidance around cost of living and income maximisation.

The National Youth Advocacy Service works with care experienced and looked-after children, and young people. They successfully applied for £10,000 to provide emergency, cost-of-living, crisis relief across Wales. The grant will be spent on food packs and other emergency items, workshops, and project management. Sharon Lovell, Chief Executive Officer of the Service said:

“We know that children living in poverty are more likely to end up in the care system and therefore this funding will help us keep families together and support some of the most vulnerable young people in Wales who have no family to turn too. We will be providing packages of support that include food, energy costs, clothes and goods to enable them to survive these very difficult times. We will be running a number of projects ranging from “grow your own food” and groups to reduce isolation, access support and advice in a warm, safe environment along with the ability to access emergency grant support based on individual's needs. We delighted to have received vital funding from the National Lottery Community Fund to provide emergency relief to children/young people and families in need.”

Over the next four years, Siop Griffiths Cyf in Penygroes in Gwynedd will spend their £99,700 grant supporting the community through the cost-of-living crisis by developing accessible green spaces. They will offer the Dyffryn Nantlle communities the chance to grow and cook food. Local people will have the chance to improve their mental and physical health by spending time outdoors with others.

Equus Ferus International CIC in Carmarthenshire will support people struggling with their mental health, substance misuse and addiction. They will offer nature-based, animal assisted, walk and talks. The project will build self-awareness and offer strategies to overcome addictive urges, unhelpful thinking and behaviour patterns. Their grant was £9,980.

ValePlus (Cymru) and ValePlus Extra in the Vale of Glamorgan received £10,000 to create a pop-up shop where people with learning disabilities can work, learn new skills and sell items which they have created. They want to encourage local people who feel isolated, to pop in and have a chat, and purchase craft goods and homegrown produce from their garden. The project will also create food boxes for those struggling in the local community (in partnership with FareShare).

John Rose, Wales Director at The National Lottery Community Fund, celebrated all the organisations saying:

“Many people are feeling the increases in the cost of living, that’s why projects like these are vital to communities. The Fund is dedicated to supporting projects that bring people together to support their communities, creating stronger social connections and helping develop new skills. National Lottery players raise over £30 million each week for good causes like these throughout the UK”

These are just some of the 49 groups receiving a share of over one million pounds (£1,009,466) this month. Download a list here.