Groups celebrate £9.5m lottery cash

COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS across Yorkshire and the Humber region are celebrating after being awarded £9.5m in National Lottery funding.

The money, raised by players for good causes, is being distributed by the Big Lottery Fund, the largest funder of community activity in the UK. In total, 265 community projects in the region are receiving a share.

Key towns and cities in the region will be among those benefiting from the funding, including Sheffield, Bradford, Leeds and Doncaster.

Projects set to receive cash to support their work range from reminiscence activities for people with dementia to the renovation of a community centre.

England grant-making director at the Big Lottery Fund James Harcourt, inset, said: “We can see how the money raised by players for good causes helps to bring ideas to life and gives people the opportunity to work together for the good of their community. Whether from a village, town or city, we’re proud that our funding supports people who have identified what matters to them and their community and who want to make a positive change.” The Big Lottery Fund distributes money raised by National Lottery players for good causes.

As part of yesterday’s announcement, the fund revealed that it is making grants totalling £54m going to almost 1,800 community organisations across England. Among the projects to benefit is the Moon on the Water arts and entertainment venue, a notfor-profit social enterprise which is run mainly by volunteers in Cleethorpes and will receive £30,000 to improve its community building.

Director Warren Jolly said: “This is very welcome news and will make a real difference to the local community and to the people we support.”