Christmas comes early for local groups sharing £2.8million of National Lottery funding
Community groups in Newry Mourne and Down are celebrating after being awarded grants from The National Lottery Community Fund just in time for Christmas.
Sticky Fingers Arts is among those groups in Northern Ireland sharing more than £2.8million. Based in Newry, the group provides a range of creative play activities for children, young people and older people from disadvantaged and hard to reach communities. They will use a grant of £10,000 to create a sensory and interactive play space for children with profound special needs and to employ a facilitator to work with them.
Grainne Powell, Chief Executive of Sticky Fingers Art said: “We are very excited to receive a lottery award for our new Playmakers project which will provide children and young people who are at an important stage in their lives with an innovative mentoring program that will support them to learn, gain confidence, try something new and have fun.”
Newry and Mourne Deaf Club, based in South Down, is using a grant of £5,886 to provide a range of activities for deaf and hard of hearing individuals. These activities will include day trips and social events with the aim of reducing isolation that many individuals with hearing difficulties encounter.
LCDD Community Hip Hop, based in Bangor, is using a £7,251 grant to work with young people from the Kilcooley Estate and surrounding area, to teach them fundamental dance techniques and styles.
Riding for the Disabled Association Downpatrick Group is using a £4,000 grant to fund three terms of riding sessions for pupils of Knockevin School and people attending Mountview Adult Resource Centre. The funding will cover the costs of hiring the horses and the riding area at Tullymurry Equestrian Centre.
Ladies of Mourne, based outside Kilkeel, promote good health and well-being for members through monthly meetings, educational activities and trips in areas of interest. Using a £3,000 grant the group will fund a monthly luncheon club for four months as well as a trip to the Titanic Centre for 30 members.
PIPS Hope and Support, based in Newry, is a voluntary community group that raises awareness of the issues around suicide. The group are using a £9,328 grant to deliver suicide prevention training and resilience workshops to young people and youth organisations across rural south Down and south Armagh. This will help encourage self-awareness, nurture positive mental health and emotional well-being, develop community connections and help identify local and regional resources to call upon.
Bangor Grammar School is using a £9,600 grant to train six members of staff to deliver resilience skills workshops to pupils. These workshops will help build resilience and encourage those pupils affected by and living with poor mental health, self-harm and recreational drug abuse to make healthier choices.
The Fiddler’s Green Festival, based in Rostrevor, is using a £1,150 grant to fund wellness classes, venue hire, material and equipment for the festival.
SPACE, based in Newry, is using a £200,000 grant to extend their five-year Supporting Parents and Children project for another two-year period. Due to end in July 2020, the project provides early intervention support to families who are experiencing a range of difficulties and challenges that pose a risk to family stability. SPACE will use the additional funding to provide access to resilience programmes for children and parents, to run out of school clubs and activity camps for children, deliver speed networking events and build a network of volunteer parenting navigators to support parents.
Kate Beggs, The National Lottery Community Fund Northern Ireland Director, said: “I am delighted to announce these grants. It is great to see the amazing and diverse work being done through projects funded by National Lottery money. When people take the lead and develop their own great ideas, communities really do thrive.
“Whether it’s small pots of funding or larger grants, people are being brought together to make good things happen and change lives. I want to say thanks to all the National Lottery players who have helped make this possible.”
For a full list of grants awarded visit:
For more information on applying for National Lottery funding, please visit our website:
If you have an idea you would like to discuss or need guidance please call us on 028 9055 1455 or email: enquiries.ni@tnlcommunityfund.org.uk
