Lottery reaches out to people with learning disabilities in Essex

Area:

East of England

Programme:

Reaching Communities

Release date:

30 1 2007

The Hamelin Trust in Billericay will use its £283,591 award to boost the independence and opportunities for people with learning disabilities through learning and work experience at Sutton Bridge Farm. Participants will be trained in accredited courses in horticulture, health and safety and manual handling allowing them to leave the project with a CV and portfolio of achievements.

Jon Dixon, Division Manager of the Hamelin Trust, said: “This project will give people with learning disabilities a new found confidence as they can now walk away from this project with skills that they can use at home, in the garden or even go on to employment. They will now be able to go out and show employers what they can accomplish and achieve.

“This Lottery money will mean we can develop the exciting ideas we have for the project, including expanding an allotment area to produce more home grown vegetables.  It will also mean we can now buy two brand new vans so that we can increase the contract work we have with community gardens and local businesses.”

The Southend Mencap Advocacy Service has received a grant of £128,039 to support the needs of people with learning disabilities and their parents and carers in Southend, Rochford, Rayleigh and Castle Point.  

Marc McOwens, General Manager of Southend Mencap, said: “Support from the Big Lottery Fund is fantastic news. With this Lottery funding we can now continue our hugely successful advocacy service, which helps people with learning disabilities express to our advocates what they need, their everyday issues and problems. This service ensures that these vulnerable people are not isolated and that their needs are listened to.”

Other projects funded today through the Reaching Communities programme include Reach Out based in Bedford, which will spend its £127,574 on a community based mutual help scheme.  

Meanwhile with a grant of £484,115, the Bedfordshire African Community Centre will provide a range of services for people with mental health issues to reduce social isolation and help them to further engage with the local community.  

Sara Betsworth, Big Lottery Fund Head of Region for the East of England, said: “The Big Lottery Fund are giving out over one million pounds this month to four projects across Essex and Bedfordshire under the Reaching Communities programme. These fantastic projects will offer local people a brighter future, help to build stronger, healthier and more active people and communities.”

Further information

Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 020 7211 1888
Out of hours contact: 07867 500 572
Public Enquiries Line: 08454 102030
Textphone:  845 6021 659
Full details of the Big Lottery Fund programmes and grant awards are available on the website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk

Notes to Editors

• Reaching Communities is part of the Big Lottery Fund’s portfolio of new programmes. Following an intense and comprehensive process of consultation with stakeholders and the general public over the last year, the Fund has undertaken to distribute 60-70% of its funding to the third sector.  At least one-third of BIG funding will be demand-led and lightly prescribed.  In England, this will amount to at least £600 million over the period 2005-2009. This commitment will be met from a variety of funding streams, including, Reaching Communities, Awards for All, part of the Young People’s Fund, Community Buildings, Advice Services and the People’s Millions.
• The Big Lottery Fund rolls out close to £2 million in lottery good cause money every 24 hours which together with other Lottery distributors means that across the UK most people are within a few miles of a Lottery-funded project.
• The Big Lottery Fund, the largest of the National Lottery good cause distributors, has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK since its inception in June 2004.
• On 1 December 2006 the Big Lottery Fund was officially established by Parliament and at the same time assumed the residual responsibilities of the dissolved National Lottery Charities Board (Community Fund) the New Opportunities Fund, and the Millennium Commission. The Fund is building on the experience and best practice of the merged bodies to simplify funding in those areas where they overlap and to ensure Lottery funding provides the best possible value for money.

Tags