29 September 1999

Good News for the Smaller Charities

A hundred small voluntary groups in Northern Ireland, including playgroups, scouts, a stroke club, women’s groups and community associations have been given acknowledgement and encouragement for their work in the form of awards totalling almost £370,000 from the National Lottery Charities Board.

The awards are the latest round to be announced under the National Lottery Charities Board Small Grants Scheme, under which grants of up to £5,000 are made to smaller voluntary and community groups. Announcement of the latest batch was made today at a presentation at the Ulster Museum in Belfast.

Some examples of the recipient organisations are: Ballycastle Youth Links (£4,695); East Belfast Senior Citizens Club (£1,794); 6th Ards Sea Scout Group (£662); Dungannon Mencap Society (£3,150) and Barnmeen Community Association, Barnmeen, Newry & Mourne (£5,000).

Speaking at the presentation, National Lottery Charities Board Committee Chairman, Noel Stewart said: "The groups which we are proud to make these awards to today exemplify those who work to improve living conditions and provide invaluable services both in rural and urban areas and who often do not receive the recognition and certainly not the media attention which they deserve. We hope these awards will be seen as well-earned recognition of their efforts and as thanks on behalf of the communities they seek to help."

National Lottery Charities Board Director for Northern Ireland, Ann McLaughlin said that the awards were made possible through the flexibility of the Small Grants Scheme which was designed to ensure that money got through to the areas and the people where it could make a meaningful difference to life.

Organisations with an annual income of less than £15,000 can apply and grants for amounts up to a limit of £5,000 will be considered with a minimum of form filling. In addition until March 2000, groups can also apply for Millennium Small Grants. Groups must have a project with a Millennium theme as well as meeting the normal Small Grants criteria.

Ann McLaughlin said: "The availability of easily accessed small grants is designed to have a major impact on the effectiveness of voluntary and community organisations helping to improve quality of life across Northern Ireland."

Issued on behalf of the National Lottery Charities Board
By Future Image Ltd
For further information contact :
Sally Gardiner
Tel: 01232-423314

Note to Editors:

The Small Grants announced today total more than £370k to groups across Northern Ireland.
(see attached list)