“Connections and community are essential” - Herts charity moves its support for young people with cancer online, thanks to National Lottery funding

• Teens Unite Fighting Cancer is one of ten community projects and charities in Hertfordshire that have received a share of almost £90,000 of National Lottery funding in the past month

Children and young people living with cancer, who are isolating during the COVID-19 pandemic in Hertfordshire and across the South East, will now be able to interact and support each other online with digital meet-ups thanks to a new National Lottery grant.

Teens Unite Fighting Cancer - based in Broxbourne but operating across the South East of England – brings young people who are fighting cancer together to build new friendships, challenge themselves and improve their wellbeing. The charity would normally be running a range of different activities so the young people can spend time with their friends away from hospitals and treatment, but with lockdown meaning longer spells in isolation, the small but dedicated team at Teens Unite has worked tirelessly to ensure support remains available during these difficult times.

With an £8,400 grant from The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest funder of community activity in the UK, Teens Unite is currently running a twelve-week programme during the lockdown so that young people fighting cancer are not alone. This support includes a mix of interactive online video sessions to improve mental and physical wellbeing, such as yoga for beginners, dance classes, quizzes and Q&As with health experts including nutritionists and skincare specialists.

The charity, which has seen a 66% increase in registrations since this time last year, will also be hosting regular group ‘meet-ups’ online, keeping everyone connected, socialising and engaged. The young people who have taken part in the online programme have reported they feel more connected and have a sense of achievement, which has helped to boost their mood, lessen anxiety and reduce fears.

With 2,555 new cases of cancer in teenagers and young adults in the UK each year, and 48% of those diagnosed living in the South East of England, the support provided by Teens Unite is a lifeline for so many isolated young people. Thanks to National Lottery players this lifeline can continue.

Katherine Di-Fonzo, Head of Marketing & Communications at Teens Unite, said: “At a time when we are actively being told to distance ourselves and remain isolated, those young people fighting cancer are experiencing heightened levels of anxiety and loneliness. Relationships, connections and community support are essential to both preventing and tackling loneliness and depression.

“Thanks to the funding received from The National Lottery Community Fund we are able to ensure that we can provide a minimum of two digital sessions every week for the 12 weeks that those in the high-risk categories have been told they need to self-isolate for.”

This vital funding, raised by National Lottery players, is being distributed by The National Lottery Community Fund. It is part of the comprehensive package of support of up to £600 million, recently unveiled by National Lottery distributors as a whole, going to charities and organisations supporting communities, the arts, heritage, education, environment and sports.

Helen Bushell, Head of Funding for the South and East of England at The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “It has been heartening to see how communities across the region have been responding to the crisis. Teens Unite in Hertfordshire is just one of the many projects, from grassroots groups to larger charities, working tirelessly to support their community through these extremely difficult times.

“National Lottery players can be proud that the money they’ve raised is making a real difference at a time when it is most needed. We will carry on getting vital funding out to charities and voluntary sector organisations, so they can step up to overcome obstacles caused by the pandemic and help their community to rebuild and recover in the future.”

In total, 10 community projects in Hertfordshire are receiving a share of over £90,000 in this time of crisis. Elsewhere in the county, Home-Start Herts, which usually provides help to families who may be struggling through volunteer-led face-to-face home visits, will now be providing an intensive package of support remotely to stay connected with families and ensure the health and wellbeing of vulnerable children across the county.

Thanks to a £10,000 grant from The National Lottery Community Fund, the charity will be offering telephone contact as frequently as is necessary, as well as providing practical support, such as helping families to access food banks, doorstep deliveries of supplies, food vouchers and digital support and signposting to money management services.

The COVID-19 crisis has sparked an influx of groups seeking funding from The National Lottery Community Fund to support their communities through these times. Overall, compared to the same time last year*, requests for funding have increased by 55%, while visits to the funder’s website have shot up by 47%. The most apparent spike in applications has been for smaller grants, with requests for funding up to £10,000 increasing by 51% year-on-year.

Going forward, The National Lottery Community Fund will continue to prioritise getting funding to groups best placed to support their communities at this vital time and also towards those seeking to rebuild as the crisis abates.

The National Lottery Community Fund distributes money raised by National Lottery players for good causes. Last year it awarded £1.4 million a day on average to projects that help people and communities thrive.

To find out more visit www.TNLCommunityFund.org.uk