10 October 2000

Suzy Lamplugh Trust receives Lottery award

The Suzy Lamplugh Trust was one of the largest beneficiaries of the latest round of awards announced today by the National Lottery Charities Board.

The awards, totalling over £2.9 million to 11 major national charities for projects to be delivered in all four countries of the UK, 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 Suzy Lamplugh Trust receives £519,500 over three years to set up a National Centre for Personal Safety. The centre will house the administrative base of the Trust and a forum that will bring together representatives of all the bodies that deal with personal safety issues, including the police and local authorities.

The Trust's director, Diana Lamplugh said: "We are hugely delighted with the grant from the National Lottery Charities Board. The funding is for the development of the Trust over three years, so that we can extend our mission to create a safer society, helping even more people - children, people in the workplace, people out and about, elderly and disabled - to live life to the full in safety."

The largest grant awarded today is £525,139 to Skill: the National Bureau for Students with Disabilities. Their three year grant will develop a research base that will deliver an enhanced information and advice service to disabled students, trainees and job-seekers. The development of their website will be one of the key features of the project.

Pregnant women and parents of twins and triplets, children with special needs, deaf children and those in care will also benefit from five of the awards today:

• The Who Cares? Trust receives a two year grant of £427,656 to develop an integrated communication, support and information system which will promote the sharing of information and good practice among cared-for children, their carers and childcare professionals.
• The National Deaf Children's Society receives £273, 757 over three years to build up a technology directory, which will inform the parents of deaf children of the latest improvements in equipment.
• The Twins and Multiple Births Association (TAMBA) receives £260,981 over three years so that lone parents of twins and multiples can get access to TAMBA's services, including the opportunities to enjoy short holidays.
• Kids Out UK receives £100,756 over three years to provide respite care and an annual day out for children with special needs and their families.
• The Association for Improvements in Maternity Services receives £62,652 over three years to develop a telephone helpline, website and voluntary support so that pregnant women can have better information about ante-natal and birthing services.

Diana Brittan, Chair of the Charities Board UK Committee, which awarded the grants, said: "These grants will help a number of key organisations delivering vital services to vulnerable people of all ages right across the UK."

Media enquiries: Robert Blow, 020 7747 5227

Notes to editors

1. The National Lottery Charities Board distributes money from the National Lottery to voluntary and community groups. It receives 4.7 pence of every £1 spent on the Lottery. Since 1995 the Charities Board has awarded over £1.8 billion to more than 38,000 groups.
2. A full list of grants awarded today can be found on the Charities Board website at: www.nlcb.org.uk