Wednesday 10 May 2000

£7.5 million awarded to Wales

Voluntary activities that transform lives in Wales received a £7.5 million boost from the Charities Board today. In total 45 projects will make a difference in the community with £7,518,155. A project for the disabled has been awarded £852,360, the biggest grant ever from the Charities Board in Wales.

Elisabeth Watkins, Chairman of the Charities Board in Wales said, "People who will benefit from the Wales wide projects include the deaf, homeless, elderly, those caring for Alzheimer sufferers, and women from black and minority ethnic communities. Our aim is to make the main grants scheme as wide-ranging as possible to address Poverty and disadvantage and encourage Community involvement."

The disadvantage faced by women from black and minority ethnic communities in Wales will be tackled with a £315,683 grant to Mewn Cymru. The approach will include education, training and confidence-building as well as raising awareness of issues and solutions with policy makers.

From now on, the problems of the elderly in Wales will be heard directly in the National Assembly, Parliament, and the European Parliament. Age Concern (Wales Council for the Elderly) secured a £135,298 grant for a Political Affairs Officer who will highlight issues relating to the elderly to policy makers.

Family carers for Alzheimer’s patients face stress and isolation as they try their best to alleviate the suffering of their loved ones through constant care at home. A new resource facility will be established in south Wales with £420,203 awarded to the Alzheimer Society to support these carers and relieve some of their burden.

Deaf people are further disadvantaged if isolated by geography, income level, lack of mobility or other disability. To address their needs an outreach service will be established with a £158,179 grant to the Royal National Institute for Deaf People.

The largest ever grant awarded by the Charities Board in Wales, £852,360, was awarded to Vision 21 (Cyfle Cymru) based in Cardiff for a project that will provide training opportunities for hundreds of people with disabilities through the creation of workshop units offering work experience and training.

Roy Norris, Director of the Board in Wales said, "Obviously £7.5 million is a vast sum of money which put to good use will make a big impact on the lives of the disadvantaged in Wales through independent and voluntary action. As usual, our staff at the Newtown office have assessed all these applications and they will continue to monitor the projects as they progress. We look forward to seeing the results."

The success rate for applications in this round was 35 per cent.

Groups seeking application forms for Charities Board grants or further information should call 0845 727 3273.

Notes to Editors

1. For media enquiries or group contact numbers please call Hanna on 01248 679003 or Geraint on 01686 611705
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 awarded by the Wales Committee. Board Members in Wales are Elisabeth Watkins (Chairman), Tom Jones 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 £91 million to 969 groups in Wales. Over £4 million has been awarded to 1,602 groups under the Small grants scheme. This brings the total distributed in Wales, over five years, to over £95 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 is therefore not for the Charities Board use.)