Theatre Group receives over £340,000 in National Lottery funding to improve mental health across Blackpool

A Blackpool theatre company that has become a vital creative hub in the town has received over £340,000 from The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest community funder in the UK, to continue its work to improve mental health and wellbeing.

The Old Electric has become an important part of Blackpool’s cultural landscape after being transformed from a nightclub into a dedicated theatre and arts space that is inspiring individuals from all backgrounds to engage with the arts.

The space is run by The Electric Sunshine Project CIC, who provide opportunities for local communities to get involved with the arts based activities. This includes writing, singing, and performing workshops, open access events and courses in everything from woodwork to props and costume making.

The new funding will allow the project to continue this work as well as offer a new Outreach Programme, which will see a team of volunteers take characters and puppets out to facilities such as care homes, community centres and medical centres to spread a little joy, laughter, and positive mental wellbeing.

One person that embodies the group’s vision is Liz Wilkinson. Arriving in Blackpool from Manchester 15 years ago, she began working with The Electric Sunshine Project after struggling with a serious mental health condition. She has since gone from participant to volunteer supporter and now works as a paid freelance creative, leading drama sessions at The Old Electric.

Liz said: “The Old Electric has provided me with a completely transformative
experience. When I came to Blackpool, I was a virtual recluse as my depression, anxiety and isolation increased.

“I began my association with The Electric Sunshine Project by attending Drop in Drama sessions as a nervous participant and soon became creatively nourished, influenced and encouraged by their vision to ensure that vulnerable people, including queer, disabled older women like me, have the chance to access the arts at a variety of inclusive skill levels.”

The Electric Sunshine Project CIC was set up by Melanie Whitehead in 2016 after she spent many years with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Thanks to previous funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, she was able to open The Old Electric on Springfield Road in 2020 during the height of Covid, transforming a nightclub building that had previously been a cinema in the town.

Once the centre was able to open, the team delivered 700 creative sessions between August 2020 and July 2021, as well as 19 shows, which were all affordably priced.

Feedback from the project shows that 98% of those taking part in sessions have experienced a positive impact on their mental health, with 91% saying they have made new friends.

Melanie Whitehead, Artistic Director at the Electric Sunshine Project CIC, said: “We are so grateful to The National Lottery Community Fund and National Lottery players, without whom, we would never have been able to provide such a huge variety of activity here in the heart of Blackpool.

“We want to see a transformed landscape where residents achieve more as a result of connecting with their own creativity. The Old Electric is a place which has the arts and its many mental health benefits at its heart. It’s a place where people can come together, build stronger relationships, and explore new ways of fulfilling their individual potential and collectively address issues that affect Blackpool as a whole.”

132 charities and community groups across Lancashire have been awarded almost £5 million of National Lottery funding over the last four months*. Lancashire isn’t alone in benefiting from National Lottery funding. Today it was announced that almost £252 million has been distributed to just over 5000 community organisations across England in the past four months*.

The National Lottery Community Fund awards grants to strengthen society and improve lives across the UK. Thanks to National Lottery players, it will distribute at least £4 billion by 2030, supporting activities that create resilient communities that are more inclusive and environmentally sustainable.

Gillian Halliwell, Head of Regional Funding for The National Lottery Community Fund in the North West, said: “Thanks to National Lottery players and the hard work and dedication of local groups and projects, such as The Old Electric, this funding will make a big difference to people’s lives in Cheshire and the North West. The quality of applications we receive speaks volumes of the care and ingenuity of local people - we’re delighted that our grants are being used to support great projects that strengthen communities and improve lives in our region in many ways.”

National Lottery players raise over £30 million a week for good causes across the UK. Thanks to them, last year The National Lottery Community Fund was able to distribute over half a billion pounds (£588.2 million) of life-changing funding to communities.

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

Date published: 25 July, 2023
Region: England (North West)

Notes to Editors

* These figures are for funding awarded from 25 February – 30 June 2023.

About The National Lottery Community Fund 

We are the largest non-statutory community funder in the UK – community is at the heart of our purpose, vision and name.

We support activities that create resilient communities that are more inclusive and environmentally sustainable and that will strengthen society and improve lives across the UK.

We’re proud to award money raised by National Lottery players to communities across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and to work closely with Government to distribute vital grants and funding from key Government programmes and initiatives.  

As well as responding to what communities tell us is important to them, our funding is focused on four key missions, supporting communities to:

1. Come together

2. Be environmentally sustainable

3. Help children and young people thrive

4. Enable people to live healthier lives.

Thanks to the support of National Lottery players, we distribute around £500 million a year through 10,000+ grants and plan to invest over £4bn of funding into communities by 2030. We’re privileged to be able to work with the smallest of local groups right up to UK-wide charities, enabling people and communities to bring their ambitions to life.  

National Lottery players raise over £30 million each week for good causes throughout the UK. Since The National Lottery began in 1994, £47 billion has been raised and more than 670,000 individual grants have been made across the UK - the equivalent of around 240 National Lottery grants in every UK postcode district.

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