HomepageNews and eventsNews at Ten’s Julie wants Welsh communities to go for People’s Millions gold News at Ten’s Julie wants Welsh communities to go for People’s Millions gold Tweet Print Area:WalesProgramme:The Peoples MillionsRelease date:18 3 2008 ITV’s News At Ten co-anchor Julie Etchingham wants community groups across the ITV Wales region to go for gold with the People’s Millions contest launched today. The Big Lottery Fund is giving community groups in the region the chance to win the public’s support and share in up to £250,000 of Lottery good cause money. Five awards of up to £50,000 will be up for grabs to carry out projects that improve and enrich local communities. Organisations have until the 15 May 2008 to enter the contest. The finalists will be screened on ITV Wales evening news later in the year when people in the region will be able to cast their vote for the projects they want to win the Lottery good cause cash. Since the People’s Millions contest began four years ago, a total of over £730,000 has been awarded to 13 community projects in Wales and more than 30,000 people voted for Welsh projects last year. Previous winners have used their awards on an array of projects, including a project by The Partneriaeth Dolgellau Partnership in North Wales to provide new facilities in the town's park and a project by the Ethnic Youth Support Team in Swansea, South Wales, to upgrade the youth drop-in centre whilst training young people in environmentally sound construction skills. Wales Tonight presenters, Jonathan Hill and Andrea Benfield (right), said: “The People’s Millions has been a tremendous success in Wales. Across the country it has given people the chance to secure the funds they needed to help improve their communities. At the same time it has provided engaging and at times moving television reports for ITV Wales News viewers on stories that we might not have covered. This year it promises to be even better and we are looking forward to reporting on the finalists who will battle it out for the people’s vote later this year.” Launching the contest in a glamorous gold dress designed by Stewart Parvin, Julie Etchingham said: "People's Millions is a wonderful project because it gives money to groups that are making a real difference to their communities - and, what's more, it's the viewers in those communities who decide which projects are going to benefit. We've got close to ₤5 million to give away across the UK, so if you're involved with a project that really transforms your local environment or makes your community a better place to live then we want to hear from you – and fast!” View the full size images of Julie Etchingham and download high resolution versions here Huw Vaughan Thomas, Big Lottery Fund Wales Chair, said: “People across Wales are being given a new opportunity to have their say directly on where Lottery good cause funding goes in their region through the People’s Millions contest. The contest has captured the imagination of communities and viewers alike with thousands voting to secure money for community schemes in their area. The competition’s popularity and the diverse nature of the projects is testament to its value and shows how dedicated the nation is to improving its wonderful communities.” Application packs for People’s Millions are available by calling the hotline on 08450 10 11 12* or by visiting www.peoplesmillions.org.uk The deadline for applications is 15 May 2008. *Calls cost maximum of 4p per minute from a BT landline. Calls from mobiles and other networks may be higher. Further information Big Lottery Fund Press Officer- Oswyn Hughes: 02920 678 207Out of Hours contact: 07760 171 431ITV Press Contact: Sally Holmes on 08448 810 202Full details of Big Lottery Fund programmes and grant awards are available at www.biglotteryfund.org.uk Notes to Editors 90 awards are up for grabs – 4 plus one bonus award in each of 18 ITV regions. 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 (South East), ITV Thames Valley, ITV Tyne Tees, ITV Wales, ITV West, ITV West Country, ITV Yorkshire, stv Central, stv North, UTV 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. TagsOrganisation TypesVoluntary or community organisation BeneficiariesVoluntary and community sector organisations
Area:WalesProgramme:The Peoples MillionsRelease date:18 3 2008 ITV’s News At Ten co-anchor Julie Etchingham wants community groups across the ITV Wales region to go for gold with the People’s Millions contest launched today. The Big Lottery Fund is giving community groups in the region the chance to win the public’s support and share in up to £250,000 of Lottery good cause money. Five awards of up to £50,000 will be up for grabs to carry out projects that improve and enrich local communities. Organisations have until the 15 May 2008 to enter the contest. The finalists will be screened on ITV Wales evening news later in the year when people in the region will be able to cast their vote for the projects they want to win the Lottery good cause cash. Since the People’s Millions contest began four years ago, a total of over £730,000 has been awarded to 13 community projects in Wales and more than 30,000 people voted for Welsh projects last year. Previous winners have used their awards on an array of projects, including a project by The Partneriaeth Dolgellau Partnership in North Wales to provide new facilities in the town's park and a project by the Ethnic Youth Support Team in Swansea, South Wales, to upgrade the youth drop-in centre whilst training young people in environmentally sound construction skills. Wales Tonight presenters, Jonathan Hill and Andrea Benfield (right), said: “The People’s Millions has been a tremendous success in Wales. Across the country it has given people the chance to secure the funds they needed to help improve their communities. At the same time it has provided engaging and at times moving television reports for ITV Wales News viewers on stories that we might not have covered. This year it promises to be even better and we are looking forward to reporting on the finalists who will battle it out for the people’s vote later this year.” Launching the contest in a glamorous gold dress designed by Stewart Parvin, Julie Etchingham said: "People's Millions is a wonderful project because it gives money to groups that are making a real difference to their communities - and, what's more, it's the viewers in those communities who decide which projects are going to benefit. We've got close to ₤5 million to give away across the UK, so if you're involved with a project that really transforms your local environment or makes your community a better place to live then we want to hear from you – and fast!” View the full size images of Julie Etchingham and download high resolution versions here Huw Vaughan Thomas, Big Lottery Fund Wales Chair, said: “People across Wales are being given a new opportunity to have their say directly on where Lottery good cause funding goes in their region through the People’s Millions contest. The contest has captured the imagination of communities and viewers alike with thousands voting to secure money for community schemes in their area. The competition’s popularity and the diverse nature of the projects is testament to its value and shows how dedicated the nation is to improving its wonderful communities.” Application packs for People’s Millions are available by calling the hotline on 08450 10 11 12* or by visiting www.peoplesmillions.org.uk The deadline for applications is 15 May 2008. *Calls cost maximum of 4p per minute from a BT landline. Calls from mobiles and other networks may be higher. Further information Big Lottery Fund Press Officer- Oswyn Hughes: 02920 678 207Out of Hours contact: 07760 171 431ITV Press Contact: Sally Holmes on 08448 810 202Full details of Big Lottery Fund programmes and grant awards are available at www.biglotteryfund.org.uk Notes to Editors 90 awards are up for grabs – 4 plus one bonus award in each of 18 ITV regions. 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 (South East), ITV Thames Valley, ITV Tyne Tees, ITV Wales, ITV West, ITV West Country, ITV Yorkshire, stv Central, stv North, UTV 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. TagsOrganisation TypesVoluntary or community organisation BeneficiariesVoluntary and community sector organisations