In this issue:
Funding programmes open to your constituents
You can use our Funding Finder to search for funding programmes that are available for your constituents, while our grants search will allow you to find projects that have been funded in your constituency.
BIG Lottery funding in the East of England
In the last 12 months Big Lottery Fund awarded 644 grants totalling £18,722,141 to communities across the East of England. This includes 540 grants totalling £4,055,878 from the Awards for All programmes.
BIG in the East of England
The East of England team continues to be busy with outreach work promoting the funding available through our mainstay open programmes: Awards for All and Reaching Communities. Sara Betsworth, Head of Region said: ‘We continue to get out and about across the region and have hosted a number of events for both lottery and non lottery funding; which included working in partnership with our regional stakeholders.
Earlier in the year we were back in Essex, this time Chelmsford for a large event that was organised with our regional partners from the Local Authority and Councils for Voluntary Service. Find out more about the event
As you are already aware the Government has made £30m available for a national investment in local infrastructure. BIG has indicated that we will provide at least £20 million to complement this in distinct and additional ways. We held a well attended meeting for Building Capabilities in Cambridge in February for our regional stakeholders to start the debate and an online survey that closed on 15 March.
We hosted two Funding East events for our funding advisers and stakeholders in Peterborough and Chelmsford in March. These were well received and attended. Full details in the following blog
We saw the launch of the new Coastal Communities Fund in March which the government has set up to support economic development projects in coastal areas across the UK. The Fund will have around £23 million available each year for projects and will be delivered on behalf of the government by BIG. To get the ball rolling in the East of England we hosted a well attended event in Great Yarmouth on 22 March.
I was thrilled to visit the Holt Youth Project with Norman Lamb MP in Holt Norfolk and I made it into their blog!
Earlier in the year I visited a project with James Duddridge MP at the Southend YMCA called Team YP. This is a fantastic 20 week project designed by young people for young people aged between 11 and 25 and free to attendees. It is funded by the BIG and is inspired by the London 2012 Olympics. The website has the latest information
Big is developing a new, multi-million pound investment for young people across England. Around 20 people from across England are working with BIG on this. Over the next 2 months these young people will work with BIG to decide which priority areas to fund. We want to hear from all young people so if you know any young groups please guide them to our blog
Work has continued on National Lottery Awards, the Big Lunch which coincides with the Diamond Jubilee and a new round of Village SOS.
Contact us if you would like further details on how we can help you. We always encourage groups themselves to invite their local MP to project openings and celebrations.
Step Up! Luton Limb Fitting Centre
Step Up! Luton Limb Fitting Centre User Group was awarded £10,000 last June to complete the first Test Track Garden in the United Kingdom. The Test Track Garden will give people with new prosthetic limbs the opportunity to learn to walk on all kinds of terrain.
Miranda McCoy, Communications Officer was at the launch on 29th March to open the specially designed garden. She said: ‘I was met by Brian Hilliard, Hon Secretary, who is literally a giant of a man; he stands 6’ 8” high and in size 13 shoes. He gave me a comprehensive guide to the garden which includes bark chippings, shingle, cobblestones, astro turf and poorly laid paving slabs. It has been tastefully landscaped and includes safety features for all users.
‘Walking with Brian was a real eye-opener. All the surfaces, slopes and steps provide difficulties and only when they are pointed out do you realise the challenges that have to be surmounted.’
Miranda also spoke to Roger Chinery, the civil engineer who turned Step Up’s ideas into a reality. He is a modest man and was pleasantly surprised to learn that this is the first test track garden of its kind.
How can we help you?
The regional team can arrange bespoke events for you and your constituents, from funding advice surgeries to constituency tours of lottery funded projects.
Also, every month we email all East of England MPs with the details of awards that have been made in their constituencies.
To arrange a constituency tour or to find out how we can help support your constituents please contact us.
Further information
Contact: Sara Betsworth, Head of East of England Region
Telephone: 01223 449000
Textphone: 01223 352041
E-mail: regionevents.ea@biglotteryfund.org.uk
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