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.
See a list of funding programmes open to your constituents
BIG Lottery funding in the West Midlands
In the last year Big Lottery Fund awarded 942 grants totalling £44,290,672 to communities across the West Midlands. This includes 719 grants totalling £6,059,904 from our flagship programme Awards for All.
Food for Thought
Every day people in the UK go hungry. Last year food banks fed over 128,000 people, 100% more than the previous year and yet still more people have to ask for help as with lower incomes and rising costs, they struggle to feed their families.
In Birmingham Narthex Sparkhill’s story is no exception. Narthex provides a vital service to people most in need in Sparkhill and the surrounding areas, including advice and signposting for victims of domestic abuse, low income families, and refugees and asylum seekers. Whilst working at the heart of this community it became clear that a food bank was needed, and during a trial project at a local Church they quickly realised the existing building was unsuitable to meet demand. With a grant of £424,631 through our Reaching Communities programme, Narthex have been able to secure new premises and significantly expand the food bank to meet the growing needs of the community.
The food bank is run by two members of staff who are supported by a team of volunteers. All food is donated by individuals and through collections and is distributed in nutritionally balanced food parcels that last for three days. The project also provides work placement opportunities for unemployed people and for ex-offenders and those with special needs to gain experience of the working environment.
Justin, who has spent most of his life in foster care, explained that Narthex Sparkhill has not only provided him with essential food but has also provided a listening ear.
Nigel Brookhouse, Project Director commented “BIG’s funding has made an incredible difference in that they’ve provided us with a vehicle to impact more and more on people’s lives...and has also allowed us to get an incredible amount of publicity which has brought a lot more food into the community.”
For more information about Reaching Communities please visit www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/reachingcommunities.
Big Local in Action
It’s been a while since our first Big Local announcement in 2010, but a lot has happened in the first 50 neighbourhoods in England to benefit, so we decided to visit one of them with our England Director Dharmendra Kanani to find out more.
Firs and Bromford in Birmingham is one of 13 neighbourhoods in the West Midlands selected to receive at least £1 million to be spent over 10 years, giving local people the power to make their communities better places to live.
The estate falls within the Hodge Hill constituency (Liam Byrne MP) and was developed in the 1960’s on the site of Birmingham’s old race course. It might be small in size but it has a strong community spirit and sense of local pride, and it was this community spirit that hit us as soon as we walked through the door.
We were greeted by a group of residents and volunteers whose passion for improving their area was clear as they excitedly showed us what they have been up to. Several of them have been trained as Community Researchers and have carried out peer consultation, questionnaires and participatory appraisal workshops to explore the issues that are relevant to local people. The Community Researchers have new found confidence and skills, but importantly it has demonstrated the commitment of local people to see change and to work together to solve problems.
This previously fragmented community has also started to integrate, which was evident on the day when the local Somali community came forward to offer their services preparing food for the Jubilee celebrations, with one lady saying she wanted Firs and Bromford to ‘experience food from her culture’.
After an inspirational visit Dharmendra commented “Firs and Bromford is exactly the type of area that’s been forgotten generation after generation. What the Big Local money has been able to do is provide power to a community to raise its head above the parapet, have confidence and have the guts and the voice to say we matter.”
How can we help you?
BIG can facilitate introductions with Lottery funded groups, and deliver bespoke sessions to work with constituents to improve the amount and the quality of funding applications.
Also, every month we email all West Midland’s 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: John Taylor, Head of West Midlands Region
Telephone: 0121 345 7901
Email: John.Taylor@biglotteryfund.org.uk