Over £5m of National Lottery money awarded to more than 160 communities across Wales

Today, The National Lottery Community Fund is announcing awards over £5 million to more than 160 charities and smaller voluntary led community projects across Wales, many of which are helping people to support each other through the COVID-19 crisis.

Projects funded include those which will deliver emergency care packages for vulnerable people in Wales, those providing online and telephone support to isolated people as well as projects that will bring people together and give them hope for the future.

Across Wales, community groups, their staff and volunteers are rising to the challenges presented by the crisis and The National Lottery Community Fund is responding by targeting the funds raised thanks to National Lottery players, to help their incredible work.

Announcing today’s funding totalling £5,129,370 John Rose, Director of The National Lottery Community Fund in Wales said:

“In these challenging times it’s heartening to see the way communities are coming together to support each other. These awards, made possible by National Lottery players, recognise the incredible work happening in our communities the length and breadth of Wales.

“ I would like to thank all the groups, staff and volunteers for rising to the challenges of COVID-19 and in doing so bringing hope for the future.”

In Wrexham, Nanny Biscuit successfully applied for £9,842 and have set up a service to provide shopping, food and friendship for the most vulnerable, isolating, Mr James Hunt explained:

“We thought, we have to do something together to protect the people who need it, so we took over the local community centre and bought a freezer.”

In Swansea the Congolese Development Project are spending their £10,000 grant to support elderly people living alone, Mr Kokisa Buka, Chairman said:

“We want to protect the vulnerable people in our community, we are helping them with everything and trying to protect them from scams as well as the virus.”

In Cardiff The Horn Development Agency have successfully applied for £20,284. They have responded to the crisis by forming a COVID-19 distance working partnership with other organisations: Grangetown Boys and Girls Club, Sound Progression and Riverside Warehouse. Mohamed Yusef, Chief Executive told us:

“We are working with communities in Butetown, Grangetown and South Riverside. We are delivering food parcels and online activities and entertainment for the kids at home.”

Meanwhile, other organisations are planning for when the lockdown ends and looking at how they will support the communities they work with. Brecon and District Mind’s Mums Matter project have successfully applied for an award for £48, 503 to provide telephone 1-1 support, peer support by video call, and are developing an on-line programme to use both now and when the lockdown ends. Val Walker, Chief Executive added:

“We have identified an immediate need for support for Mums and families who are really struggling due to the impact of COVID-19, this additional funding means that we can adapt the project to suit the current situation and provide that much needed additional support. Many Mums are having issues with social isolation and not having family members or friends to help with the day to day living tasks. As things begin to return to a more normal state, we anticipate there will be many more Mums experiencing poor mental health so we will increase the level of face to face 1-1 support and counselling services.”

These are just some of the communities The National Lottery Community Fund is working to support, read the full list here.

The National Lottery Community Fund’s funding programmes (National Lottery Awards for All and People and Places) remain open to new applications for further information see www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/fu...