Big Lottery Fund

Anyone fancy joining the Queen for a Big Lunch?

Since the Big Lunch started in 2009, thousands of Big Lunches have taken place in all kinds of communities, with over a million people taking part in 2011 making it the biggest Big Lunch yet. The campaign is run by the Eden Project and is funded by Big Lottery Fund.

This year’s campaign officially launched in this region on 27 March with Leeds born actress and presenter Angela Griffin. Angela said “It is just a brilliant initiative to get communities to come together, so many people live on their streets and they don’t know who their neighbours are. There are some people that don’t get out very often and need company, so to get a knock on your door asking you to a street party is wonderful.”

To hear more from Angela, listen to our podcast

Case Studies

Sheffield based Foxhill Forum had a fabulous time last year at their Big Lunch. Lunchers at the Big Lottery funded project could make their own smoothies, have their face painted and take part in all sorts of creative activities.

Meanwhile across the other side of our region, in Hull, residents of Big Local area the Greatfield Estate came together to host a Big Lunch. The organisation of the event was led by five teenage members of the Greatfield Residents Improving their Neighbourhood (GRIN). Community members of all ages joined in the family fun, parents tucked into barbecues while children took turns on the bouncy castle and rodeo bull! The local MP Karl Turner joined in to support the day and Lord Prescott made a surprise visit.

Check out these Big Lunch photos from across the UK.

It’s easy to host your own lunch. Simply go to the Big Lunch website and request your FREE pack and you can also download posters to help make your lunch go as smoothly as possible.

Connecting cycling communities

Sustrans are a national charity working to make travelling by environmentally friendly and sustainable methods easier for people. The BIG funded Connect 2 project has allowed Sustrans to connect communities by creating safe travel routes such as new bridges and crossings to overcome busy roads, rivers and railways and linking these to networks of cycling and walking routes.

In this region, there are seven Connect2 schemes, including Dewsbury Greenway, Leeds Wykebeck Way and Harrogate, Ripley and the Dales.

March saw the launch of the Killamarsh, Halfway Tram Terminus and Rother Country Park scheme which connects three local authority areas – Derbyshire, Rotherham and Sheffield.  Two new bridges have been built across the river and the railway and embankments have been added. At the launch event, children from schools in each authority rode their bikes to Killamarsh to an opening ceremony that also included the unveiling of three portrait benches representing members of each of the communities.

The Killamarsh Portrait benches represent Corporal Liam Riley, Colin Savage and boxer Clinton Woods. Corporal Riley was just 21 when he was tragically killed in Afghanistan by a roadside bomb, whilst trying to save a friend’s life.  Colin Savage is a well loved community member and works tirelessly as a volunteer to help local people and boxer Clinton Woods was raised in Sheffield and has won many titles in his boxing career.

To find out more about Connect2 Schemes around the UK visit the Sustrans website

The Yorkshire team are on the move...

As of the 19 March 2012, the regional team has moved offices and our new address is:

Big Lottery Fund
First Floor
Consort House
12 South Parade
Leeds
LS1 5QS
Tel no: 0113 224 5300

Hello and goodbye

We welcome Christine Cooper (left) back as Regional Development Manager and a fond farewell to Sharon Jones (right) who has been covering Christine's maternity leave and will be returning to our BIG colleagues in the North West region.

We can also confirm that Alison Crawley has been seconded to Regional Communications Manager

Would you like to join our team?

Now that Alison Crawley has been seconded to Regional Communications Manager, we are advertising for a new Regional Communications Officer for a fixed term contract for 12 months.

We are looking for someone with experience of working across a broad range of communication channels including new media. You will also need to be well organised, an excellent communicator and possess good writing skills.

If you are interested in this opportunity then visit the job vacancy section of our website to find out more.

The closing date is Midday Friday 13 April

Big Local

Big Local is a long term innovative programme that will achieve lasting change in the areas that it supports. The funding will allow local communities to drive the investment in their areas, build on local talents and aspirations and to identify and act on their own need to make their areas even better places to live.

Big Local is funded by Big Lottery Fund and is delivered by the Local Trust, which is a consortium led by the Community Development Foundation (CDF). The Local Trust will be supporting the Big Local areas in their community development and is looking to develop a national pool of experienced and committed individuals who can guide and coach the communities.  If this is something you are interested in being involved in visit www.renaisi.com for more information.

The six communities that have received £1 million investment in Yorkshire and the Humber are:

• Barrowcliff, Scarborough
• Hawksworth Wood, Leeds
• North Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire
• Rastrick, Calderdale
• Scholemoor and Lidget Green, Bradford
• Thurcroft, Rotherham

Latest regional awards

Reaching Communities

Ten more organisations are celebrating in the region as they share £2,634,674 between them for projects working in their communities.

Voluntary Action Rotherham Limited received £404,377 for its D.R.E.A.M. (Developing real economic activity with me). This project aims to create a sustainable social enterprise to provide activities to adults with learning difficulties. Beneficiaries will be taught technical, craft and design skills. Products designed and made by beneficiaries will be sold through local craft events, fairs, markets and other e-business sales outlets to generate income with profits reinvested in the project.

In Hull, young people will have access to whole range of challenging activities such as mountain biking and canoeing, thanks to a grant of £214,674 to St. Michaels Youth Project. The ‘Fair Way’ project will provide social and personal development opportunities for young people that promote self-confidence, team work and communication skills.  The project will include a volunteer programme to refurbish a local 9-hole golf course.

Awards for All

Our small grants programme, Awards for All is as popular as ever as 134 projects share £1,152,413 in the latest two rounds of funding.

Huddersfield based Jubilee Melody Makers received £5,300 for its Paddock Diamond Jubilee Celebrations. Thanks to the funding, the group will be holding a Diamond Jubilee celebration in June. The community will celebrate together with a range of entertainment including an open cafe, stalls and a bouncy castle.

Over on the coast, InterActive Whitby and District will use the £959 they received to run a monthly InterActive Youth Club for disabled young people aged 14 – 21. This will establish a safe environment where young people with special needs can meet, interact with their peers and develop their social, communication and team working skills.

Molesfarm Community Projects in East Riding of Yorkshire will use its £9,839 to transform an unused field into community allotments. This will create accessible allotments and a healthy eating and living facility for the community to use.

In South Yorkshire, Barnsley based Hoylandswaine Primary School will use its £,9700 to deliver the ‘Inspired by India - An Arts and Enterprise Experience for All’. Young apprentices will have the opportunity to design, market and produce an Indian product before presenting it to local business experts. This will increase pupil and community understanding of a different culture and bring people together through a range of team working and creative activities.

Supporting Change and Impact

BIG has awarded 30 existing grant-holders across Yorkshire and the Humber a one off extra year’s worth of funding to enable them to continue their work through the current tough economic climate.

The funding is part of a Big Lottery Fund initiative called Supporting Change & Impact, which totals over £70m and is designed to help Lottery-funded good causes cope with the developing impact of public funding cuts. The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) estimates that voluntary and community groups will experience a reduction in public funding of up to £3.3 billion by 2015.

For a full list of projects awarded an extra year’s funding can be found on our website.

To read press releases visit our regional newsroom

Young People’s Investment in England

Big Lottery Fund is developing a new, multi-million pound investment for young people across England with young people at the heart of its design. BIG has recruited a team of 20 young people who will decide, over the next two months, what priority areas to fund.

The team have already spoken to over 1000 of their local peers (via face to face and social media) and reviewed over 50 pieces of evidence. They have also reviewed academic and policy evidence and debated the priority issues.

Read our Big Blog to find out the thoughts of the young people and the emerging issues they want to support.

Join in the debate on twitter using #BIGyp or like their Facebook page.

Dates for your diary

Village SOS (Thursday 10 May 2012)
Rendezvous Hotel, Skipton

Come along to this FREE Village SOS event and be inspired by the people behind community enterprises like shops and pubs, broadband projects and transport schemes as they share their real-life experiences. Book your place now

Make sure you download a copy of the latest Village SOS magazine.

Adult Learners Week (12-18 May 2012)

Adult Learners’ Week is the UK’s largest annual festival of learning; inspiring thousands of people each year to discover how learning can change their lives. Let us know if you are doing any activities this week and we may come along and learn a few things ourselves!

The Big Lunch

Get together on 3rd June 2012 for a one day get together for neighbours – a great excuse to get to know the people in your community. You can register for a 2012 Big Lunch pack at www.thebiglunch.com

Jubilee People’s Millions

As we celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee in June 2012, we will be finding out how our Jubilee Millions projects are getting on and how they will be commemorating the Queen’s 60th year on the throne.

Volunteers Week (1-7 June 2012)

Volunteers’ Week is an annual event which celebrates the fantastic contribution that millions of volunteers make across the UK. The Week plays a huge part in raising the profile of the millions of volunteers who regularly contribute to society, while inspiring others to get involved too.

National Family Week (25-31 August 2012)

Now in its fourth year, National Family Week is the biggest annual celebration of families and family life in the UK. If you are having an event to celebrate the week, then register on the National Family Week website and download the free toolkits.