Black History Month: Leeds group celebrates National Lottery funding for commemorative Windrush project

Thanks to a National Lottery award of almost £10,000, children and young people in Leeds will benefit from photography and film production workshops celebrating the 75^th anniversary of Windrush.

This announcement comes during Black History Month and highlights one of the 140 projects to receive over £1.2 million of National Lottery funding across the UK to commemorate Windrush 75 this year.

Springaid International Development UK is also one of 300 charities and community groups across Yorkshire and Humberside which has received a share of more than £13 million by The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest community funder in the UK, over the last three months.*

With its National Lottery grant, Springaid International Development UK has made 100 free places available in its workshops, which will provide hands-on experience with technical photography and filming equipment, and explain how to use editing and publishing software.

The 20 best short films or images made at the workshops will be showcased at an exhibition next year marking this significant anniversary - helping to celebrate Windrush pioneers, their culture and incredible contributions to British heritage.

Valentine Nzeng, Executive Director of Springaid International Development UK, said: “We’re really delighted to have received funding from The National Lottery Community Fund for our project ‘Leeds Together with the Windrush Generation’.

“Thanks to National Lottery players, this funding will make such a huge difference to the lives of many people in Leeds, particularly young people who will be equipped with theoretical and technical skills in the twin trades of photography and film production. This will enhance their employment opportunities, build self-confidence and worth, tackle inequalities and build resilient, inclusive and more connected communities.”

The National Lottery Community Fund’s ambition is to invest most in places, people and communities experiencing poverty, disadvantage and discrimination. It has four key missions, which are to support communities to come together, be environmentally sustainable, help children and young people thrive and enable people to live healthier lives.

Joe Dobson, Head of Funding for Yorkshire and Humber at The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “We’re delighted projects like this are using their funding to strengthen and improve lives by equipping people with the skills and experience to build confidence, self-esteem and personal development.

“Black History Month is a time for us to celebrate Black heritage and culture, and thanks to National Lottery players, this project will help to ensure the story of Windrush pioneers and their influence is creatively captured and shared with the people of Yorkshire.”

The National Lottery Community Fund will distribute at least £4 billion by 2030, supporting activities that create resilient communities that are more inclusive and environmentally sustainable. See its new strategy, ‘It starts with community’ to find out more.

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 visit www.TNLCommunityFund.org.uk

Date published: 17 October, 2023
Region: England (Yorkshire and the Humber)

Notes to Editors

* These figures are for funding awarded from 1^st July – 29^th September 2023.

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 £4bn 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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