Over £170,000 of National Lottery funding awarded to bring communities across the West Midlands together on 9 & 10 September

Groups across the West Midlands are celebrating being awarded over £170,000 of National Lottery funding to host 100 community-led activities this September, as part of the first West Midlands Mayor’s Community Weekend since the pandemic.

Taking place on 9 and 10 September 2023, the weekend of community-led activity returns thanks to a partnership between Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest community funder in the UK. The Mayor’s Community Weekend aims to celebrate the strength and diversity of West Midlands’ communities by bringing people together.

Communities across the region were invited to apply for grants between £500 and £2,000, to host activities. The events will see people from all backgrounds strengthening existing connections and giving them opportunities to make new ones.

Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands and WMCA Chair, said: “We know just what a remarkable source of strength our region's diverse communities continue to be. That’s why I’m so pleased that – after a Covid induced hiatus – the Mayor’s Community Weekend is back. Coming up this Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th September – in conjunction with The National Lottery Community Fund – we've provided grassroots grants ranging from £500 to £2,000 to all areas of the West Midlands. This will be a wonderful opportunity for local people to come together - celebrating community spirit at its very best. I cannot wait to see it all in action.”

Nicola Thurbon, Head of Regional Funding for the Midlands at The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “Thanks to National Lottery players we are connecting communities across the West Midlands for this exciting weekend of events which are designed, led by and open to local people. The groups we have awarded funding to – and the large number of excellent applications we received - are testament to the creativity and commitment of diverse communities in the West Midlands.”

Events include a gaming day at Touchbase Pears, Selly Oak, where Creative Active Lives CIC will host games, crafts, and sensory activities for children with physical or learning disabilities and their families, who often are unable to attend mainstream celebrations due to lack of accessibility.

Black British Book Fest in Wolverhampton will celebrate community and culture with their ‘Voices United’ event which will provide a platform for and amplify the voices of underrepresented authors in the area.

Godiva Trust will celebrate Godiva Day, a key moment in the city of Coventry's history. The event will bring together women and children from many diverse ethnic communities through food, art, poetry, song and dance.

Elsewhere, Green Minds Community Day in Warwickshire, will see South Warwickshire and Worcestershire Mind bring people together at their allotment in Stratford-upon-Avon. Activities include a community litter pick, along with cycling activities for people of all ages. The day will provide welcome access to green space and an opportunity to learn a new skill.

And Community Together CIC in Stoke and Staffordshire will also host a weekend of nature-based activities at ten nature reserves across the area, led by young people for the whole community to enjoy.

John Mothersole, England Chair, The National Lottery Community Fund, added: “We’re delighted to announce this funding, made possible by National Lottery players and the support of the Mayor of the West Midlands. I’d like to thank every single community group that took the time to apply for grants.

“Our new strategy commits us to turbo charging our support for grassroots projects like these, while tackling the big social issues facing communities today. Across two days of innovative, community-led events and activities, we’re bringing people together to celebrate being part of their community and make something amazing happen on their doorstep.”

Earlier this summer, The National Lottery Community Fund unveiled its new seven-year strategy, ‘It starts with community’, which will underpin its efforts to distribute £4 billion of funding by 2030 – with a focus on four key missions where it wants to make the biggest impact. These are to support communities to come together; be environmentally sustainable; help children and young people thrive and enable people to live healthier lives.

National Lottery players raise over £30 million a week for good causes across the UK. Thanks to them, last year The National Lottery Community Fund was able to distribute over half a billion pounds (£615.4 million) of life-changing funding to communities.

To find out more about the Mayor’s Community Weekend funding, visit: www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding/programmes/mayors-community-weekend-w-midlands

Date published: 14 August, 2023
Region: England (West Midlands)

Notes to Editors

About The National Lottery Community Fund

We are the largest non-statutory community funder in the UK – community is at the heart of our purpose, vision and name.

We support activities that create resilient communities that are more inclusive and environmentally sustainable and that will strengthen society and improve lives across the UK.

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.

As well as responding to what communities tell us is important to them, our funding is focused on four key missions, supporting communities to:

1. Come together

2. Be environmentally sustainable

3. Help children and young people thrive

4. Enable people to live healthier lives.

Thanks to the support of National Lottery players, we distribute around £500 million a year through 10,000+ grants and plan to invest over £4 billion of funding into communities by 2030. 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, £47 billion has been raised and more than 670,000 individual grants have been made across the UK - the equivalent of around 240 National Lottery grants in every UK postcode district.

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