Northern Ireland update

We are holding information sessions on the recently launched Reaching Out programmes – Empowering Young People and Connecting Older People.  The events will take place in September at locations across Northern Ireland and you can book a place by contacting our Information Team on 028 9055 1455.

Empowering Young People is a £20 million programme that will award grants of £100,000 - £500,000 to projects that could support young people who are in care, leaving care, or who have been in care, who are involved or at risk of becoming involved in crime, or young people who are disengaged from education. Young people must be involved in designing, developing and running projects. Voluntary and community organisations can apply to this programme.

Connecting Older People is a £20 million programme that will award grants of £50,000 - £200,000 and £250,000 - £500,000 to projects that could support older people in residential care or sheltered housing, or who have been affected by issues such as, bereavement, disability and long term illness and isolation. Older people must be involved in designing, developing and running projects.  Voluntary and community organisations can apply to this programme, organisations must work in partnership when applying for the £250,000 to £500,000 grants.

Reaching Out - The sound of a BIG Debate

Belfast’s Black Box Theatre was abuzz with heartfelt discussion and passionate opinion at the end of June when the Big Lottery Fund brought together young and older people from across Northern Ireland for a major debate.

The Big Lottery Fund launched its Reaching Out programmes – Empowering Young People and Connecting Older People - which will invest up to £40 million to support older people and young people most at risk.

And the NI team marked the launch of the new programmes with the Big Debate, to discuss the main issues facing older and young people most at risk in Northern Ireland.

Listen to the debate:

The event, which was chaired by well-known actor Dan Gordon, was attended by over 70 people of all ages from local community and voluntary groups and the media.

A panel that included young people who have been in care and isolated older people fielded questions from the audience around issues such as fear and isolation, breaking down barriers between generations and transitions in life.

Walter Rader receives OBE

The Director of the Big Lottery Fund in Northern Ireland, Walter Rader, has received an OBE for his services to the community in Northern Ireland.

Walter was presented with the prestigious award (his official title is Officer of the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) by the Princess Royal, Princess Anne, at an Investiture in Buckingham Palace on Friday 2 July.

Commenting on getting the award, Walter said: “It was a beautiful, sunny day and I was very proud to be awarded my OBE by Princess Anne.  She asked me about my work with communities in Northern Ireland and my time with the Big Lottery Fund.  It was a wonderful day and a very humbling experience. “

Walter has spent over 30 years working with communities in Northern Ireland and has experience of both the statutory and voluntary/community sectors, as well as appointments with UK-wide organisations and through North/South (of Ireland) projects.

His career has certainly been one of firsts.  During the 1980’s Walter was closely associated with the BBC Youth programmes Unit in Belfast as a Community Service Volunteer trainer for youth correspondents.  He was one of the first staff members to work on the renowned Across the Line show.

Walter served as the first Forces Youth Service Officer for nine years, creating and developing youth service provision for the families of servicemen in Northern Ireland.

And as Director of Youthnet in Northern Ireland, he was also responsible for establishing the organisation as one of the first Intermediary Funding Bodies for the European Peace 1 programme, and he has experience of administering European funding streams.

Since 1999, Walter has been Director of the Big Lottery Fund and its legacy organisations, and he is now looking to the future following his appointment as one of the five Commissioners who will work on the new Charity Commission for Northern Ireland.

He added: “I’m delighted to be honoured this way and I pay tribute to all my colleagues past and present.  In my career I’ve had the opportunity to work with such dedicated people who are involved in projects that make a difference to communities across Northern Ireland.”

Community Wildlife

Big Lottery Fund have teamed up with the BBC Wildlife Fund's Go Wild campaign to launch the Community Wildlife programme.  It will fund projects that bring people together to discover, enjoy or protect the wildlife in their local area.

Grants of between £300 and £10,000 are available for projects that meet at least one of these outcomes:

• improve rural or urban environments for people to enjoy
• get people more active and healthier

Not for profit groups, local councils, schools and health bodies can apply for projects that can be completed within one year.

Examples of projects could include protecting wildlife habitats, creating a nature trail, encouraging people to take up gardening, going on nature walks or providing opportunities for children to learn about nature through play.

Application deadlines for rounds 2 and 3 are:

22 September 2010

24 November 2010

Further information and application materials are available on the website.

Other BIG programmes open for application

• Healthy Minds NI

This programme aims to improve the mental health and well-being of local people.  Grants of between £500 and £10,000 are now available to groups across Northern Ireland to fund activities to support isolated older people; adults with mental health issues; families affected by alcohol, and people affected by life changes such as bereavement.

Big Lottery Fund's Healthy Minds NI programme will be open for application until March 2011.

• Energy Efficient Venues

This programme launched on 19^th May 2010 and will be open for application for two years.  Big Lottery Fund will make grants of between £2,000 - £10,000 and £15,000 - £50,000 to voluntary and community organisations in Northern Ireland who want to make their community venue more energy efficient.  The venues must be owned or leased by voluntary or community organisations.

For further information and application packs visit our website

• Awards for All

Voluntary and community organisations and statutory organisations can apply for grants of between £500 - £10,000 from Big Lottery Fund's Awards for All programme.  Health, education, environment and community projects can be funded.  This is an ongoing programme with no closing dates.

If you are applying for more than one award within a 12 month period, the maximum amount that can be awarded has been increased to £20,000.  As only one grant can be applied for or held at any one time, the original award will need to have been closed by us before you re-apply.

The application form and guidance notes are available on-line

• Heroes Return 2

WW2 veterans from the UK, Channel Islands and Republic of Ireland can apply for travel and accommodation costs to visit the places where they saw active service.  They can also receive funding to take part in an official commemoration in the UK.  The amount of funding available is from £150 to £5,500 and the programme is open until 31 January 2011

For further information and an application pack please visit the Heroes Return pages on our website or ring the application helpline on 0845 0000 121

If you require more information on any of our Northern Ireland programmes, contact the Information Team on 028 9055 1455.

Vote in The National Lottery Awards 2010

The National Lottery Awards are an annual search to find the UK’s favourite Lottery-funded projects and all of the projects in the running have already received Lottery funding.  The Awards celebrate how they have put that money to good use.

Four projects from Northern Ireland are through to the final of The National Lottery Awards 2010:

• Laganscape (Lagan Valley Regional Park) - competing for Best Environment Project
• Dromore Education & Community Partnership – competing for Best Sport Project
• Cruse Bereavement Care, Young Cruse Project – competing for Best Health Project
• Access to Citizenship – competing for Best Health Project

Show your support by taking part in the public voting between the 26 July and 13 August.  For more details see The National Lottery Awards 2010 website.

Have your say on Lottery changes

The Department for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport recently announced a consultation on percentage shares for Lottery distributors.

Currently the Big Lottery Fund distributes 50 per cent of Lottery funds to projects connected to health, education, environment and charitable purposes.  The consultation document is available at www.culture.gov.uk/consultations and the consultation is open until 21 August 2010.

Contact Details

If you would like any further information on any of the articles in this update you can contact a member of the Information Team in the Belfast office by emailing enquiries.ni@biglotteryfund.org.uk

Tel: 028 9055 1455
Fax: 028 9055 1444
Textphone: 028 9055 1431
www.biglotteryfund.org.uk

Big Lottery Fund
1 Cromac Quay
Cromac Wood
Ormeau Road
Belfast
BT7 2JD