22 December 1998

National Lottery Charities Board hits One Billion Pounds

The National Lottery Charities Board today announced the grant which takes the amount it has awarded to charities and voluntary groups over the £1 billion mark.

The grant of £359,063 to the Children’s Discovery Centre East London was made under the Board’s Community involvement programme.

The award will help create an innovative and exciting new interactive learning centre with and for young children and their families and carers. It will expand the horizons of the children of East London through fun, stimulating and educational hands-on exhibits, workshops and play projects. The theme of the centre is the "power of language", and it will include galleries for word and sound games and experiences, a working TV and radio studio, an IT laboratory and a performance space for storytelling, drama and music.

David Sieff, Chairman, National Lottery Charities Board, said: "I am excited that the Board is able to announce that it has now reached the £1 billion mark. Since its first grant in 1995 the Board has become the UK’s largest general purpose grant-maker and has built up a reputation for fair and equitable grant-making. By constant consultation with the voluntary sector, we have been able to deliver a grant-making strategy which has won its confidence and approval.

"We have awarded more than 18,000 grants to a huge range of voluntary and charitable organisations, helping those at greatest disadvantage across the whole of the UK. As the pioneer of the Small grants scheme, we have ensured that Lottery money goes to a large number of small groups which work to address the needs of local communities."

Chris Smith, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, said: "This award, which will help refurbish a building and provide enjoyment and education for children, is a significant landmark for the Charities Board. The Government wants to see the Lottery offering something for everyone and I congratulate the Charities Board on its efforts to ensure that money goes across the country to organisations in greatest need."

Peter Eatherley, Development Manager, Children’s Discovery Centre East London, said: "We are thrilled to be chosen to be the Board’s billionth pound grant. This is a project that will make a real contribution to the literacy and educational achievements of the children of East London. Many thanks to the Charities Board for making it possible."

Media enquiries: Robert Blow, Press Officer, 0171-747 5227 or email.

Notes to editors

1. The National Lottery Charities Board distributes money raised by the National Lottery to charities and voluntary and community groups. The Board distributes grants to help meet the needs of those at greatest disadvantage in society and to improve the quality of life of the community.
2. The Board receives 4.7p of every pound spent on National Lottery tickets or 16 2/3 per cent of all the money that goes to the ‘good causes’.
3. Since the Board awarded its first grant in 1995 nearly 11,000 new jobs have been created as a result of Charities Board awards. Three thousand projects that develop volunteering have been funded.
4. Over £39 million has been awarded to projects working with older people. Nearly £143 million has gone to children’s and young people’s groups and £130 million to groups working with disabled people. Other groups that have benefited are charities for the homeless (£87 million) and organisations working with those on low incomes (£316 million). Training and learning projects have been awarded £123 million and health care projects £66 million. (A funding fact sheet is attached.)
5. The Children’s Discovery Centre East London is a registered charity set up in 1997 with pioneering support from Stratford Development Partnership, Community Links and the Gulbenkian Foundation.

Media enquiries for Children’s Discovery Centre East London: Peter Eatherley 0181-519 7790/ 07775 814347.