6 December 1999

Charities Board keeps elderly active

As groups for the elderly in Wales defy the cold dreary months of winter, action and entertainment feature prominently on their agendas. The awards announced by the National Lottery Charities Board in Wales today clearly show that from bingo to first-aid training, and from outings or holidays to Christmas dinner or a show, the elderly are planning to keep active.

Tom Jones Chair of the Board in Wales said, "From Caerphilly to Newport and Rhondda Cynon Taff to Swansea, it would seem that the elderly in South Wales will be particularly active this winter. Whilst in areas of Mid and North Wales such as Ceredigion, Conwy, Flintshire, and Gwynedd the emphasis seems to be on keeping young children active and supporting community centres. The awards announced by the Charities Board, by definition, reflect the activities within the voluntary sector and from one month to the next it can be different from one area to the other. Today’s awards are reassuring in that they reflect the many positive steps being taken by groups to enrich community life."

In total £112,291 was awarded to 37 to groups in Wales today. Small grants range in value from £500 to £5,000 and are awarded to groups with an annual income of less than £15,000.

The other priorities of voluntary groups revealed in today’s awards include improvements to various community premises, new play equipment for youngsters, family and community development, and an exciting project to seek young people’s views on the development of a resource centre in Neath Port Talbot.

The all-Wales group awarded a grant was the Tools for Self Reliance Cymru based in Crickhowell. The group repairs and refurbishes tools for use in developing countries and is this year celebrating its 21st anniversary with a conference. The £2,300 grant will pay for speakers fees and subsidise travel costs to the conference for the disabled or those on low income.

Roy Norris, Director of the Board in Wales said, "Having awarded nearly 1,500 Small grants in Wales to date, this grant scheme has long proved its popularity to fund small projects quickly. Many are taking advantage of the scheme to fund Millennial activities in the coming months but of course the scheme extends beyond the Millennium and will continue to fund the variety of voluntary sector needs. Groups should be encouraged to apply by remembering that there is, on average, a one-in-two success rate for Small grants."

Groups seeking application forms for Charities Board grants or further information should call 0845 7273273.

Notes to Editors

1. For media enquiries or group contact numbers please call Hanna or Myrddin on 01286 675221.
2. The National Lottery Charities Board is an independent body set up by Parliament to distribute funds to support charitable, benevolent and philanthropic organisations. There are 17 Board members, including the Chair. Decisions on grants are made by the members in grant-making committees for Wales, England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the UK as a whole.
3. The Charities Board’s two main grant programmes: Community involvement and Poverty and disadvantage as well as Small grants are assessed by the Wales Committee. Board Members in Wales are Tom Jones (Chair), Elisabeth Watkins and Jeff Carroll. Co-opted Members to the Board are Margaret Dennis, Aled Siôn and Dr Glyn Williams.
4. The Board’s main aim is to give grants to help meet the needs of those at greatest disadvantage in society and to improve the quality of life in the community.
5. Since October 1995, the National Lottery Charities Board, under the main grants, has awarded over £79 million to 891 groups in Wales. Over £3.5 million has been awarded to 1517 groups under the Small grants scheme. This brings the total distributed in Wales, over five years, to over £83 million.
6. Full lists of Charities Board’s grants are published on the internet at www.nlcb.org.uk and full lists of all Lottery distributors grants are listed at www.lottery.culture.gov.uk.

Note to Designers

1. The National Lottery Charities Board logo is the circular logo that appears on this press release. (The "crossed finger" logo is a trade mark for the National Lottery as promoted by Camelot and is therefore not for the Charities Board use.)