Community groups across Northern Ireland benefit from £5 million National Lottery boost

The National Lottery Community Fund has announced almost £5 million of funding to 89 projects across Northern Ireland.

A wide range of community projects have received National Lottery funding, from organisations supporting young people with disabilities or helping children with acquired brain injury to understand their condition, to a group providing a safe space for women in a rural area to connect and learn skills. Click here for a full details of all grants awarded.

One of the organisations receiving funding is Foyle Down Syndrome Trust. They are using a £463,885 grant to continue running their current Healthy Hearts and Minds project which provides activities for young people aged 8-25 with Down Syndrome living in the Derry and Strabane and Causeway Coast and Glens council areas.

Over five years the project will improve health and wellbeing, reduce social isolation and give more young people with Down Syndrome the confidence to successfully integrate into their community.

Christopher Cooper, Manager of Foyle Down Syndrome Trust said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive this funding from The National Lottery Community Fund.

“It will enable us to enhance and develop our existing Healthy Hearts and Minds project to support and empower our young people to fully participate in a programme of structured activities of their choice. They will be given opportunities to engage in a wide range of activities including mindfulness, multi-sports, gardening, software application development, cookery and much more. Activities will be planned and developed with our young people to improve and maintain physical and emotional health, enhance social skills and promote independence.

“Without this vital support from the National Lottery Community Fund none of this would be possible. A huge thank you from everyone at Foyle Down Syndrome Trust.”

Brain Injury Matters (NI) has also received a £7,400 grant to create an illustrated Christmas themed book for children who have an acquired brain injury. The story will help children and their families understand their brain injury and allow them to relate to their experience in a fun and meaningful way.

Treasa Rice, Engagement Manager at Brain Injury Matters said: “We’re delighted to receive this funding from The National Lottery Community Fund. Our project will benefit the lives of children with an acquired brain injury by helping them understand more about their injury and how to navigate their journey with this life-long condition. We have developed a children’s illustration book titled Rua’s sore Head – A little Christmas story with a bump. This funding has allowed us to take a story created by the parent of a child with a brain injury through the journey of creating, developing and publishing a book.”

Dennett Valley She Shed, which is based in Donemana, has also been awarded a £9,616 grant to carry out minor refurbishment, buy equipment and organise a programme of activities for their members. This will allow them to accommodate more members, make the facilities safe for people with mobility issues, and create a more appropriate space for women to meet to develop their skills.

Thanks to National Lottery players more than £30 million a week is raised for good causes across the UK like these. The vast majority of grants awarded are for smaller amounts of under £10,000, going to the heart of communities to make a big difference.

Paul Sweeney, The National Lottery Community Fund’s NI Chair, said: “I’m proud to see the amazing impact that money raised by National Lottery players is having in communities across Northern Ireland.

“This funding is supporting a diverse range of projects, who are meeting the needs in our local communities. I’m looking forward to seeing how these projects help people to rebuild and thrive.”

For more information on National Lottery funding visit our website www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding/northern-ireland or social media.