£800,000 funding boost for Northern Ireland groups from National Lottery Awards for All

People across Northern Ireland are improving their health and well-being, learning about the environment and connecting with their local community thanks to almost £800,000 from The National Lottery Community Fund.

Today 93 groups across Northern Ireland are sharing £793,502 from The National Lottery Awards for All programme. From teaching children about the environment to running activities to reduce isolation for older men, all the groups are using grants of between £300 to £10,000 to put people in the lead and help their communities thrive.

Mullaglass Primary School, outside Newry, has been awarded a £10,000 grant to install a Recobox outdoor classroom to support children to learn more about wildlife, insects and endangered species.

Blackmountain Older Men's Group, in the Lenadoon area of west Belfast, supports older local men to combat loneliness and isolation. They received £9,500 to run a programme of activities including intergenerational programmes in local schools, self-help workshops, trips and walking tours, mental health workshops, and horticulture projects, including making hanging baskets.

Paul’s Campaign Association, based in Derry/Londonderry, raises awareness of sarcoma cancer and are using a £7,961 grant to train local young people to become health awareness champions. The young people will receive training in first aid, child protection and facilitation skills as well as attending a team-building weekend to bond as a group. They will also be trained to work with the local community to raise awareness and provide information about sarcoma cancer.

Little Treasures Playgroup, based in Kinawley, Co Fermanagh, has been awarded a £10,000 grant to develop an open space where children can be physically active and learn about the environment. The space will include a sand pit, a water wall, an outdoor paint board, a painted bike track, hop scotch markings, a mud kitchen and a sensory area.

Also receiving funding is Larne and Inver Primary School PTA. The organisation is using a £9,060 grant to run sensory wellness sessions for both staff and pupils. They are also producing a sensory wellness newsletter for parents and guardians, running two sensory discos and a sensory wellness fair, and buying sensory equipment for the school.

A full list of grants can be downloaded below.

Kate Beggs, The National Lottery Community Fund Northern Ireland Director, said: “Thanks to National Lottery players, I am delighted to announce these grants today to projects across Northern Ireland. They are using the funding to support people in diverse ways – from sensory activities to make school events more inclusive, to gardening activities to reduce isolation and loneliness for older men.

“The common thread is that they are all being led by local people who are using National Lottery money to develop great ideas to help their communities thrive.

Application forms and guidance notes are available to download at www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk. For more details call us on 028 9055 1455, or e-mail us at enquiries.ni@tnlcommunityfund.org.uk