- Area:
- Wales
- Programme:
- The Peoples Millions
- Release date:
- 22 11 2007
EIGHT local community projects in Wales are rallying support for the public vote that could see them win up to £80,000 each from the Big Lottery Fund in next week’s People’s Millions regional contest on ITV Wales News.
Up to £400,000 of Big Lottery funding is up for grabs for five lucky groups in the region. The contest goes live on ITV Wales’s 6.00pm evening news between 26 and 29 November.
Two projects will be showcased each night in a head-to-head battle to win support. At the end of the programme, viewers will be asked to vote by phone for the project they think should win the Lottery good cause cash. Voting telephone numbers will be broadcast during the programme and will also be available on the Big Lottery Fund’s website each day.
There will be one winner of the £80,000 award each night. At the end of the competition there is also an additional bonus award of up to £80,000 that will go to the runner-up with the most votes.
The People’s Millions competition will run across ITV regions*, with a total of 90 awards and up to £7.8 million of Big Lottery funding in the hands of the voting public.
On Monday, November 26, the Cold Barn Farms ‘Little Monkeys’ Jungle Gym project in Trevethin, Torfaen will be battling it out against The ‘Calon Lan’ (Pure Heart) project from Bryncynon, Rhondda Cynon Taff.
If they were to get their hands on the £80,000, the Cold Barn Farms 'Little Monkeys' Jungle Gym project would splash the cash on the external renovation and extension of the Cold Barn Farm Youth Activity Centre to create 'Little Monkey's Jungle Gym'.
The building will include an MOT health suite to provide health and well being programmes for local families and young people. A facility will also be included to promote local environmental projects.
The rival ‘Calon Lan’ (Pure Heart) project, run by Bryncynon Community Revival Strategy Ltd, would provide a garden of rememberance for the community and local people who have lost loved one’s.
It will contain sculptures and art work in the grounds of the Big Lottery funded Healthy Living Centre (HLC) at Bryncynon, Rhondda Cyon Taff. The project also includes the provision of art workshop sessions that will lead to the design and construction of art to be displayed.
The following night, Tuesday November 27, the Holywell Circular Footpath Route project from Holywell, Flintshire, will be competing against the Partneriaeth Dolgellau Partnership in Dolgellau, Gwynedd.
The Holywell Circular Footpath Route project, run by St Beunos Walk Group, aims to enhance and improve the accessibility of footpath routes within Holywell, providing the local community and tourists with greener, cleaner and safer access to the environment, leisure and heritage spots along a 5km route.
The Partneriaeth Dolgellau Partnership project, run by Partneriaeth Dolgellau Cyf, aims to provide new facilities in the town's park to offer children, young people and the wider community with further recreational opportunities. The process of developing the project through cross community working is also seen as a key part of raising people's confidence and skill levels in the Dolgellau area.
It will be another north vs south battle on the night of Wednesday, November 28, as the EYST Urban Fix Up Project from Swansea go head to head against the Gladstone Refurbishment/Regeneration project in Hawarden, Flintshire.
The EYST Urban Fix Up Project will allow Ethnic Youth Support Team in Swansea to upgrade the youth drop-in centre whilst training young people in environmentally sound construction skills. The project will take place over 6-months and will train 12 young people and involve 100 members as volunteers.
Gladstone Refurbishment/Regeneration project, will allow the Clwyd Area Scout Council to upgrade a scouting centre for the benefit of the local community and visiting scout groups in North East Wales, allowing opportunities to enjoy outdoor pursuits in a safe, comfortable and controlled environment.
On the final night, Thursday November 29, the Aber Valley Water Play Feature project in Caerphilly will front up to the Disability Eco-Project in the neighbouring county of Blaenau Gwent. The Aber Valley Water Play Feature project, run by Aber Valley Communities Partnership, will replace the existing redundant paddling pool facility at Senghenydd Welfare Park, with a fully automated, interactive water play system that is designed to stimulate children of all abilities, including those with disabilities.
Through the Disability Eco-Project, the Waundeg and Nantybwch Tenants and Residents Association will provide disabled access to a community house at Waundeg constructed from sustainable materials. The project will also contain an educational element concerning sustainability issues, which will result in permanent displays.
Winners will be announced on ITV regional news the day following each vote.
This is the third year the Big Lottery Fund and ITV have teamed up to bring viewers across the UK the People’s Millions. Last year’s contest was a huge success with almost 350,000 viewers casting votes to give 85 projects a share of over £4.2 million to make a difference in their communities. Up to £15 million in grants will be given out by the Big Lottery Fund under the three year public involvement initiative.
Huw Vaughan Thomas, Big Lottery Fund Wales Chair, said: "We are very keen to ensure the public play a more proactive role in deciding where lottery money goes. We do that by openly advertising for committee members, regularly attending events and consulting on funding priorities. People's Millions, however allows everyone to get involved and vote for their favourite projects. With almost 350,000 people taking the opportunity to vote last year, we are hoping for an even bigger response this time around, with more viewers playing a crucial role in deciding where Lottery cash is spent in their community.”
Elis Owen, Managing Director and Controller of Programmes for ITV Wales: “Since the launch of People’s Millions in 2005, a total of £378,071 has been awarded to eight projects in the ITV Wales region. Many of these projects are now up and running and have become vital assets within the community. This year with individual awards of up to £80,000 on offer I am sure that viewers will be as keen as ever to take part in the People’s Millions contest, and vote for the project they think most deserves lottery support.”
Further information
Big Lottery Fund Press Officer- Oswyn Hughes: 02920 678 207
Out of Hours contact: 07760 171 431
ITV Press Contact: Sally Holmes on 08448 810 202
Full details of Big Lottery Fund programmes and grant awards are available at www.biglotteryfund.org.uk
Notes to Editors
ITV broadcast regions in the People’s Millions:
ITV Anglia (East), ITV Anglia (West), ITV Border, ITV Central (East), ITV Central (West), ITV Granada, ITV London, ITV Meridian (South), ITV Meridian (East), ITV Thames Valley, ITV Tyne Tees, ITV Wales, ITV West, ITV West Country, ITV Yorkshire, stv Central, stv North, UTV
- 90 awards are up for grabs across the UK – four winners plus one bonus award in each of the 18 ITV regions.
- 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. This year projects that provide opportunities or facilities for enjoying the local environment have also been added to the funding criteria.
- 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.
- Telephone voting numbers – As with previous years, ITV and the Big Lottery Fund will use a low cost non-premium rate telephone number. ITV and BIG do not make a profit from the voting telephone numbers.
- 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.
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