26 April 2001

Main grants delight in South Wales

As the first round of Main grants are announced by the newly-renamed Community Fund in Wales, groups across the principality are being encouraged to apply for lottery funding to support their activities in the community.

Blaenllechau Community Regeneration (BCR) in Rhondda Cynon Taff is celebrating with the announcement of an award of £111,256 over three years to provide a community transport service to local people who, at present, cannot access services and local facilities.

BCR is a community based regeneration programme, serving the people of Blaenllechau and the surrounding areas. Following the closure of the coalmines in the 1980s, the area was identified as one of the primary areas of deprivation in the South Wales Valleys.

At present BCR provides and manages a range of projects including a community centre, a youth drop-in centre, a fish and chip shop, a community café, a nursery/creche, a community farm and a miners welfare hall.

Treasurer David Thomas says: "This lottery grant will enable us to buy a vehicle and run a transport service and will also mean we can employ a community transport co-ordinator. We have wanted to do this for a long time and it is only now, thanks to this money that we are able to go ahead. It will make such a difference to people of all ages."

For a nominal charge residents will be able to book community transport to get around - for medical appointments, hospital visiting, shopping and all manner of social outings.

David says: "Just getting to the community centre can be impossible for some people as there are so many hills. For example we have a sprightly 78 year old lady who will now be able to join in a whole range of community activities and get to and from the shops so much more easily - this will make a world of difference to her and many others like her."

Elsewhere in South Wales other organisations have benefited from the latest round of main grants. Across the principality 18 organisations share a total of £3,227,605.

A grant of £352,810 to The Penllwyn Community Centre Management Association in Pontllanffraith, Caerphilly over three years will establish a new community building to provide a base for activities and events and Cardiff Mind receives £188,877 to employ two staff to develop a project, providing training opportunities and access to work for people with mental health problems.

Age Concern Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan is awarded £253,975 for a welfare rights service for elderly people and in Newport the Community Service Volunteers based in Pillgwenlly get £141,555 to develop a community based video production scheme, providing training and skills development opportunities.

In Swansea, Penmaen and Nicholaston Parish Hall will be upgraded thanks to a grant of £26,902 and the Swansea Chinese Community Co Op Centre receives £189,539 to develop activities and for training. Garndiffaith Community Association in Torfaen gets £119,218 to equip and complete a new community building.

Wales-wide the Manic Depression Fellowship is awarded £130,474 to identify, recruit and train volunteers to develop the Fellowship's group network, Gofal Housing Trust receives £199,615 to enhance employment opportunities for people with severe mental health problems across Wales and the All Wales Forum of Parents and Carers gets £288,825 to provide support, training and information for parents and carers of children with disabilities.

In total more than £113 million has been distributed to voluntary groups by the Community Fund in Wales (previously National Lottery Charities Board) to tackle poverty and promote community involvement.

Groups seeking application forms or further information should call : 0845 791 9191 (English) or 0845 727 3273 (Welsh).

Notes to Editors

1. For media enquiries or group contact numbers please call Debbie on 01352 700208.
2. The Community Fund is the operating name of the National Lottery Charities Board, 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 Community Fund's grants programmes are awarded by the Wales Committee. Board Members in Wales are Elisabeth Watkins (Chairman), Jeff Carroll and Rhiannon Bevan. Co-opted Members to the Board are Margaret Dennis, Aled Siôn and Dr Glyn Williams.
4. The Fund'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 Community Fund under main grants, has awarded over £107 million to 1068 groups in Wales. Over £5.7 million has been awarded to 2,077 groups under the Small grants scheme. This brings the total distributed in Wales, over five years, to over £113 million.
6. Full lists of Community Fund's grants are published on the internet at www.community-fund.org.uk and full lists of all Lottery distributors grants are listed at www.lottery.culture.gov.uk.

Note to Designers

The Community Fund logo is as it appears on this press release. (The "crossed finger" logo is a trade mark for the National Lottery is therefore not for the Community Fund use).