6 April 2000

Grants totalling £1.7 million announced by Charities Board

Nurses of cancer patients, people with epilepsy and older people suffering from physical and mental abuse were among a range of beneficiaries of the latest round of UK-wide grants announced today by the National Lottery Charities Board.

The awards were made under the Charities Board’s Community involvement and Poverty and disadvantage programmes, which seek to help those at greatest disadvantage and improve the quality of life in the community.

The National Society for Epilepsy receives the largest award in this round - a one year grant of £500,000. The grant goes towards the construction of a new purpose-built epilepsy assessment and treatment centre to be built at the Society’s headquarters in Chalfont St Peter, near Gerrards Cross in Buckinghamshire. This will replace the current centre, which is now inadequate, badly sited and unable to provide a full range of facilities. The new centre will help those who are multiply disadvantaged by epilepsy to learn the skills needed for independent living and gain further education, training and employment.

Marie Curie Cancer Care provides nursing services to terminal cancer patients in their homes. It receives £346,334 to strengthen its nursing operation by improving the management of nurses caring on a daily basis for cancer patients. Six Nurse Managers will be recruited to support the network of community nurses and handle individual cases.

Action on Elder Abuse receives £80,363 to advertise and promote a freephone telephone helpline for older people who are being abused, with the aim of increasing the volume of calls and, therefore, helping more people. The three year grant is for producing promotional materials, consultancy fees and advertising costs.

Amanda Jordan, Chair of the Charities Board UK Committee, which awarded the grants, said: "These groups work with disadvantaged people throughout the UK. We are funding projects which will help them enjoy a better quality of life by providing them with the support they need."

Media enquiries: Robert Blow, 020 7747 5227