- Area:
- UK-wide
- Programme:
- Millennium Now
- Release date:
- 7 3 2013
The Big Lottery Fund (BIG) has joined forces with Channel 4 for a TV series giving charities a multi-million pound opportunity to tackle some of Britain’s biggest social issues.
From the producers of Secret Millionaire, this five-part documentary series will follow five Channel 4 celebrity faces as they work with charities developing new projects, while they secretly try to secure £2 million of lottery money that could turn the big idea into reality. These £2 million ideas could transform people’s lives – and if they’re successful, the celebrities will reveal the secret millions at exciting and emotional surprise events.
Secret Millions, beginning on Sunday 17 March at 8pm, builds on the legacy of Secret Millionaire and takes the format to a new level – working with an enthusiastic and experienced team of Channel 4 experts. Gok Wan, Katie Piper, Jimmy Doherty, Dave Fishwick and George Clarke help a range of charities develop innovative and ground-breaking projects that could have profound, positive effects for those in need.
Each week, Secret Millions will follow a celebrity working with a charity to test out a bold idea dealing with big social issues. The people they work with have no idea that behind the scenes the Big Lottery Fund is assessing the project throughout and the Channel 4 celebrities are drawing on their own personal experience, skills and contacts to help persuade BIG to award them millions of pounds to turn the project into a reality.
Getting involved on the front line, the celebrities will experience first-hand the issues facing the grassroots workers and the beneficiaries in need of help. The projects will range from working on employment prospects for with disadvantaged young people, to helping families with disabled children and innovating in social housing.
Peter Wanless, Chief Executive of the Big Lottery Fund, said: ‘The Secret Millions is one of the most exciting projects we have ever been involved in. Offering possible access to considerable sums of our good causes cash as part of Channel 4's largest ever TV giveaway, knowing the huge difference that it could make on issues the public prioritised, has been an excellent experience.
‘The efforts of the charity staff, volunteers and all those involved prove that the selfless spirit of helping others is alive and well. In tough times, the work these charities do is ever more important and I hope The Secret Millions experience will lead to a greater public awareness of such good causes and the opportunities there are for everyone to get involved.'
For further details please visit the Channel 4 website
Notes to Editors:
About the £10 million Big Lottery funding
As part of the Big Lottery Fund making the £10 million available, the public was given a say on which issues they wanted to see funded. Launching a call-out in 2011, Channel 4 and the Big Lottery Fund asked people how they would spend £10 million of lottery money in the current climate – via channel4.com/thebigdecision and commissioning a UK-wide Ipsos-Mori Poll of 2000 people. The results helped the Big Lottery Fund identify five charities who had devised exciting and innovative projects.
• The Big Lottery Fund (BIG), the largest distributor of National Lottery good cause funding, is responsible for giving out 40% of 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 its inception in June 2004 BIG has awarded close to £6 bn.
• 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 £29 billion has now been raised and more than 383,000 grants awarded across arts, sport, heritage, charities, health, education and the environment.
Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 020 7211 1888
Out of hours media contact: 07867 500 572
Full details of the Big Lottery Fund programmes and grant awards are available on the website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk
Ask BIG a question here: https://ask.biglotteryfund.org.uk
Follow BIG on Twitter: www.twitter.com/BigLotteryFund #BIGlf
Find BIG on facebook: www.facebook.com/BigLotteryFund
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