Farm fun for disabled youngsters

Area:

Wales

Programme:

Young People's Fund Make it Happen

Release date:

17 5 2007

Two projects, developed by young people themselves, share in a total of £5,729 awarded through the Make It Happen strand of the Young People’s Fund programme, which helps make positive changes to young people aged 10–19 years in Wales.

With their award of £1,466, the Get Going Gang in Welshpool, Powys, will provide activities for 10-15 year olds at a summer playscheme. In Carmarthenshire, South West Wales, Barnardo’s will spend £4,263 on a project to provide an outing for disabled young people and their families.

During the summer holidays, around 120 disabled youngsters will visit Folly Farm Adventure Park and Zoo in Pembrokeshire for the day. The whole trip has been organised by the disabled youngsters themselves. Set in the heart of the Pembrokeshire countryside, Folly Farm boasts a farmyard, zoo, vintage funfair and adventure playground. Education will also be an important part of the day, as the youngsters learn about animals, conservation and farming.

Expressing her delight at the award, Barnardo’s Inclusion and Participation Officer, Laura Skudra, said: “We asked the youngsters what they’d like to do and they formed a planning group to put the application together. As well as getting them to work together as a team, the work provided them with an understanding of how much things cost and how much effort actually goes into organising events. They’ve arranged all the coach travel and have checked all the health and safety aspects and other logistics themselves.”

“The project has given them a chance to do something constructive and organise a fun- packed day out with each other. Many of the youngsters don’t have the opportunity to see friends out of school, so this is a fantastic opportunity for them to socialise and have a fun day out with their friends and family.”

Highlighting the importance of the Make it Happen programme, Big Lottery Fund Wales Committee member and Chair of the Young People’s Fund Committee, Mike Theodoulou, said: “These projects are proof how small amounts of money can make a big difference to the lives of young people throughout Wales, whatever their ability. If between £500 and £5,000 in cash can help your group develop a range of skills and take part in a variety of activities, the message is simple- ‘get your applications in’.”

Further information

For further information about the projects, and contact details for the groups and organisations involved, please contact the Big Lottery Fund Wales press office by email or on the numbers below.

For further information about the Young People’s Fund and how your group can apply for funding, log onto the Big Lottery Fund website www.biglotteryfund.org.uk and use the ‘Wales’ specific search facility. Alternatively, you can telephone the Big Lottery Fund office on 01686 611 700.

Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 02920 678 207
Out of hours contact: 07760 171431
Public Enquiries Line: 08454 102030
Textphone: 0845 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:

• On 28 November the Big Lottery Fund (Prescribed Expenditure) Order 2006 completed its Parliamentary passage and came into force Friday 1 December at which point the National Lottery Distributors Dissolution Order 2006 also came into effect dissolving the National Lottery Charities Board (Community Fund) the New Opportunities Fund, and the Millennium Commission.
• The Big Lottery Fund - the biggest of the Lottery good cause distributors - has been the joint operating name of the New Opportunities Fund, the National Lottery Charities Board (which made grants under the name of the Community Fund) since June 2004.
• The Big Lottery 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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