Charities urged to claim their share of £3m lottery jackpot

LOCAL charities and community groups are being encouraged to apply for funding of up to £20,000 from a pot worth over £3 million that has been raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

A wide range of community organisations, from registered charities, to community groups and social enterprises, can apply for grants of between £500 and £20,000. Applications are open from Wednesday, July 31, for two weeks until August 14.

The funding is available through three different trusts, all of which are funded by players of People’s Postcode Lottery, and each trust supports projects focussed on specific themes:

The People’s Postcode Trust wants applications from projects aimed at promoting human rights, combatting discrimination and the prevention of poverty. The Postcode Community Trust supports initiatives working to improve the health and wellbeing of communities, including arts and physical recreation projects, as well as those with a focus on reducing isolation

The Postcode Local Trust provides funding to groups that are dedicated to improving and increasing access to outdoor space, working on flood prevention measures or looking to implement renewable energy strategies. More than 300 groups were awarded grants earlier this year, with sports groups for military veterans, counselling support services for young carers and sensory gardens for people with dementia among the groups that benefitted.

Laura Chow, head of charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, said, “It’s not just players who win with People’s Postcode Lottery - over £3 million in grants will have a tremendous impact on the fantastic work grass-roots groups are doing in communities across Britain.”