Lottery gives North of Scotland a BIG hand in applying for People’s Millions cash

Area:

Scotland

Programme:

The Peoples Millions

Release date:

18 3 2009

Groups in the north of Scotland will find out how they could share in a slice of Lottery funding from the People’s Millions contest when the Big Lottery Fund (BIG) comes to town on Monday 23 March.

The Big Lottery Fund team will be at the Council Chamber in Inverness, from 10.30am to 12.30pm and The Laichmoray Hotel, Elgin, from 2pm to 4pm. The team will be on hand to encourage groups to enter, work up a project idea and fill in application forms for a chance to win a Lottery grant of up to £50,000 to enhance local facilities or help people to enjoy their local area.

The People’s Millions partnership between the Big Lottery Fund (BIG) and ITV gives the voting public the opportunity to decide which local projects will receive Lottery good cause funding. The popular contest is now entering its fifth successful year.

Also on hand at the Big Lottery Fund event bringing their own unique perspective will be representatives from two winning projects who know only too well what it is like to win the public vote and secure a grant.  Previous People’s Millions winners the Resolis Sports Club will joining the BIG team in Inverness and Moray Arts Centre will be on hand to support groups in Elgin.

The Resolis Sports Club was the winner of a £58,750 grant in last year’s People’s Millions contest. Imogen Findlay, Chair, said: ”We found our People's Millions experience to be a straightforward process; hard work but worthwhile. When we got on the shortlist we had to do a project plan which was a really useful exercise which helped us to focus why we were doing this.  Getting the money has given a huge boost to the local community and means that we have this sports centre right on our doorstep. I would encourage local groups to just go for it, the whole experience is great and it's a chance to get your project on the TV."

Five Big Lottery Fund awards of up to £50,000 are ready to be won by community projects in the stv Central region. Projects have until noon on Friday 15 May 2009 to enter the contest. stv viewers will be able to vote on which local community projects they want to win the Lottery good cause funding, when the on-air contest hits TV screens in late November.

The People’s Millions is part of BIG’s commitment to involving the public in deciding how Lottery money is spent. In the last five years, the competition has made 50 awards in Scotland totalling over £3 million – part of an overall £18 million that has gone to community projects across the UK through the contest. In the stv North region these have included a project to equip every pre-school centre in the Highland Council area with waterproof suits and wellington boots; improvements to a community horticultural site in Pitcaple, Aberdeenshire and the creation of an Alice in Wonderland themed community garden.

Dharmendra Kanani, Big Lottery Fund Scotland Director, said: “Now in its fifth year, the People's Millions contest is back with a bang with the decision making still firmly in the hands of Scotland's viewing public. This year there are fourteen awards up for grabs for groups in Scotland and we want to hear from any group that has an idea to make their community a better place to live.

“So if you are a group that has an imaginative idea for breathing life into your local environment then come along to our funding event on Monday 23rd March. People's Millions is all about viewers helping to put the spirit back into communities and we want as many groups as possible to be part of that.”  

Gordon Macmillan, Head of News at stv, said: "The People’s Millions is a great opportunity for stv viewers to influence where Lottery funding should be spent. I'm thrilled about stv's continued involvement and it's great that we can help some of the many fantastic community groups across Scotland."

Entry packs for The People’s Millions are available from today by calling the hotline: 08450 10 11 12 or by visiting www.peoplesmillions.org.uk. The deadline for applications is 15 May 2009.

Further Information

For more information contact Lorna McNiven at the Big Lottery Fund Scotland Press Office on:
0141 242 1451 or 07880 737 157
Public Enquiries Line: 08454 102030
Textphone: 0845 6021 659

Full details of the Big Lottery Fund programmes and grant awards are available at: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk

Notes to Editors

• 69 awards are up for grabs including one bonus award in each of the ITV regions. Number of awards per region are listed below.

Key People’s Millions dates for forward planning diaries:

15 May 2009: Closing date for applications
28 October 2009: Final project shortlist announced to the media
23-26 November 2009: People's Millions competition televised on ITV

• Since the launch of People’s Millions in 2005, the aim of the contest has been to fund projects that improve the quality of life of local communities through transforming the local environment.
• Telephone voting numbers – As with previous years, ITV and the Big Lottery Fund will use a low cost telephone number. ITV and Big do not make a profit from the voting telephone numbers.
• The Big Lottery Fund (BIG), the largest distributor of National Lottery good cause funding, is responsible for giving out half the money raised for good causes by the National Lottery.
• BIG is committed to bringing real improvements to communities and the lives of people most in need and has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK since June 2004. The Fund was formally established by Parliament on 1 December 2006.
• Since the National Lottery began in 1994, 28p from every pound spent by the public has gone to good causes. As a result, over £22 billion has now been raised and more than 300,500 grants awarded across arts, sport, heritage, charities, health, education and the environment.

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