Across Scotland 460 community projects are today (WED 7 JUNE) celebrating the news of a National Lottery cash boost of £13 million. Full list of projects PDF [0.5MB]
The National Lottery Community Fund makes the announcement on the day it launches its new UK wide strategy ‘It starts with community' which sets out its ambitions as funder of community led activity from now until 2030.
Being part of a community can forge a sense of belonging and security which is something 50-year-old Sharon Veelenturf from Fifecan relate to. Since her son, Luuk, 18, was a toddler Sharon and her family have been supported by the Scottish charity, Kindred Advocacy. Today the group receives a National Lottery award of £97,463 to provide support and advocacy for hundreds of families in Fife over the next three years.
Luke was a Syndrome without a Name (SWAN) baby, born with an array of severely complex conditions and his parents were told he was unlikely to survive. However, ever since he was discharged from hospital at just 13 weeks old, he has continued to defy all odds and is currently looking towards continuing his studies at college.
Sharon explained: “Kindred Advocacy have been with our family every step of the way and have made an amazing difference to Luuk. I would be lost without them.
“Without their support, Luuk would have languished in mainstream education, being a bum in a seat but not learning much at all. Over the years they have supported us through lots of very difficult times in relation to ensuring Luuk, with his very complex health needs, was kept safe within school and within the healthcare system. He would not have reached his potential without their support.”
Sophie Pilgrim, Director, Kindred Advocacy said: “With the current cost of living crisis, it is more important than ever that we are able to share our parenting expertise and help families to ensure that they have the basics such as Child Disability Payment, appropriate schooling, aids and adaptations. We are in the process of employing two new staff and looking forward to supporting many new parents across Fife, providing a service that transforms the experience of parenting a child with complex needs.”
Announcing the funding, Kate Still, Scotland Chair, The National Lottery Community Fund said: “I am delighted to see this £13 million of National Lottery funding going to projects where connections and community action are central to happier healthier lives.
And it's all thanks to National Lottery players that we can continue funding these activities to help many more people like Sharon and her family.
Today we also launch our new UK wide strategy - It starts with community - which sets out our direction of travel and ambitions as a funder from now and until 2030. With this we will increase our focus and investment in creating lasting change that tackles inequality and improves lives for more people and communities across Scotland.”
The National Lottery Community Fund distributes funding on behalf of National Lottery players who raise more than £30 million each week for good causes throughout the UK.
It's new strategy - It starts with community - is available here.
To find out more visit www.TNLCommunityFund.org.uk
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.