National Lottery funding for Lived Experience Leaders to lead communities in post-COVID-19 society

The National Lottery Community Fund is announcing today grants for three projects that will benefit people in Wales as part of its Leaders with Lived Experience programme. These projects will take unique approaches to help communities to tackle social issues in response to COVID-19.

Jukebox Collective in Cardiff will use £56,114 to create time, space and opportunity for nurturing young leaders. Young people will develop strategic and development skills, and foster the next generation of leaders to continue working on a more equal, renewed and refreshed cultural sector, and to continue to develop opportunities for minority communities in Wales and beyond.

Lauren Patterson, of the project, said: “We’re really excited to welcome the grant from The National Lottery Community Fund. We will be able to invest in a member of our community, elevating their skills and talent whilst moving toward our vision for the next generation of artistic leaders to reflect the diversity of modern contemporary Wales.”

Elsewhere, Cymoedd Creadigol CIC are a group of lived experience leaders based in Rhondda Cynon. They will use £56,114 to give disadvantaged people from Rhondda Cynon Taf and Merthyr Tydfil leadership and development opportunities through the creative arts.

Finally, Changing Tunes will use £54,699 to set-up a record label specifically for ex-prisoners, encouraging them to break free from the stigma of their past and establish themselves in the music industry. The record label will be based in Bristol and will supporting people from across South Wales as well as the South West of England, and the Midlands.

Ruth Bates, Wales Director at The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “Thanks to National Lottery players, people with lived experience will use their unique expertise to lead social change and help their communities to thrive. This is vital in the response to - and eventually the recovery from - COVID-19. We know that supporting those with first-hand experience to become leaders is a key enabler for civil society to do more, help more people, and for the sector to continue to make a positive impact.”

They are among 49 organisations across the UK receiving a share of £2.5million of National Lottery funding to better embed those with lived-experience into delivering their activities to support people in their communities during, and post-COVID-19.

National Lottery players raise £30 million a week for good causes. During 2020 The National Lottery Community Fund distributed £32.5 million to 966 community projects across Wales.

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

ENDS

Date published: 16 February, 2021
Region: Wales

Notes to Editors

We are the largest funder of community activity in the UK – we’re proud to award money raised by National Lottery players to communities across the UK. Since June 2004, we have made over 200,000 grants and awarded over £9 billion to projects that have benefited millions of people. 

We are passionate about funding great ideas that matter to communities and make a difference to people’s lives. At the heart of everything we do is the belief that when people are in the lead, communities thrive. Thanks to the support of National Lottery players, our funding is open to everyone. We’re privileged to be able to work with various groups, from the smallest of local ones right up to UK-wide charities, enabling people and communities to bring their ambitions to life. 