02 November 2000

Fighting crime, improving health and supporting disabled people

Fighting crime, improving health and supporting disabled people

Sixteen national voluntary groups tackling a range of social issues are celebrating today - after being awarded more than £4.1 million by the National Lottery Charities Board.

And the Charities Board is also celebrating - these latest grants mark its fifth birthday. In total £37,364,621 is being awarded to 261 groups across England today.

Richard Martineau, Chair of the England Committee said: "Since November 1995 we have distributed more than £1.7 billion to groups large and small across the country. We have supported 35,000 deserving causes.

"We all know of the big Lottery funded projects that regularly hit the headlines. But the real story of the Lottery is that the Charities Board is supporting ordinary people everywhere who give up their spare time to help their communities.

"The Charities Board has always, and will continue, to award Lottery grants to help our most disadvantaged communities. If your group would like a grant for a project please call 0845 7919191 or contact 0116 258 7000 for more information."

Groups benefiting today include:

• National Association Of Victim Support Schemes - £433,563
  The project will provide serious crime training to local victim support service co-ordinators and volunteers in order to improve the support offered to victims of homicide, racial and sexual abuse and victims of domestic violence.

• Royal National Institute for Deaf People - £395,085
  RNID represents the needs of 8.7 million deaf and hard of hearing people in the UK. The project will develop a Casework Service to provide advice and representation on the rights of deaf and hard of hearing people under the Disability Discrimination Act.