Following the award of their new grant, Lincoln Courts Youth and Community Association welcomed a visit from The National Lottery Community Fund staff to help launch a new National Lottery funding programme ‘Strengthening Communities’
This includes Foyle Sailability which received a £12,535 grant over two years to deliver sailing lessons and water-based activities for people with disabilities or facing disadvantages in their lives.
Catherine Curran from Foyle Sailability said: “We support disabled people to get out on the water and into nature, which isn’t always easy.
“They learn to sail, get active and become part of the community. We have one volunteer per sailor, and a hoist to get people into the boat if they need it.
“Thanks to The National Lottery Community Fund we’ve had a big boost. It’s so exciting to see the positivity. We’re looking forward to attending events and getting even more people out sailing thanks to National Lottery players.”
Strabane & District Caring Services was also awarded a £246,514 grant to expand their daily Meals on Wheels service over five years.
Chris Mc Daid, Community Development Officer, said: “This funding will allow us to continue to support some of the most vulnerable members of our community, providing them with nutritious and wholesome meals and daily face-to-face contact.
“We thank The National Lottery Community Fund sincerely for supporting our project and for helping us to make a real difference in Strabane when it is needed most.”
Also receiving funding in the local area are Lincoln Courts Youth and Community Association, COS For Autism Families, The Gemma Mc Hale Foundation, Creggan Older Men’s Social Club, Strabane & District Caring Services, Lincoln Courts Youth and Community Association, Creggan Neighbourhood Partnership, Derry Youth and Community Workshop Limited, Glebe Cross Community Development Association, Foyle Pride Festival, Dennett Interchange, Irish Street Youth and Community Association, Donemana Women’s Institute, Northern Ireland Newpin, Older People North-West, The Resource Centre Derry, Clady Cross Community Development Association, and Fountain Street Community Development Association ltd.
These grant awards come as The National Lottery Community Fund announced a new multi-million pound funding programme, ‘Strengthening Communities,’ to support people in greatest need, investing £20 million each year across Northern Ireland.
Strengthening Communities is different from previous programmes delivered by The Fund, as it will award grants to projects that focus on preventing problems before they arise and prioritise those experiencing poverty, discrimination and disadvantage.
It will also support people to fulfil their potential, be more involved in their communities and improve their lives.
This new programme comes from The Fund’s strategy to 2030, ‘It starts with community,’ and will start by targeting two of its mission areas: help children and young people thrive and enable people to live healthier lives.
Multi-year grants of up to £500,000 will be available and it will open to applications on Monday 21 October 2024. Organisations applying will be expected to show how their project has made a difference and how they will measure that impact.
Paul Sweeney, Northern Ireland Chair of The National Lottery Community Fund, announcing this new programme, said: “We’re delighted to launch Strengthening Communities, which takes the best of what we’ve done before and builds on our work to make communities stronger, healthier and more inclusive.
“We want to fund projects, led by communities, that focus on early intervention and building strength – equipping people with the skills, networks and resources to protect them from adverse experiences and break negative cycles.
Foyle Sailability volunteers deliver sailing lessons on the River Foyle for people of all abilities
“I want to pay tribute to all the National Lottery funded projects, like these awarded in Derry and Strabane, that continue to step up for communities to support people in need. We look forward to working with them and seeing what can be achieved.”
This year marks 30 years since the first National Lottery draw in 1994, and thanks to those who play the games and raise £30 million for good causes each week, £786 million has been awarded to communities across Northern Ireland over this time.
Groups with ideas for funding are encouraged to get in touch to discuss their idea on 02890 551 455 or email [email protected].
For more information on all funding available from The National Lottery Community Fund visit: www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/NorthernIreland
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