South West region update
July edition
Welcome from Mark Cotton, Head of Region
Welcome to the latest edition of our South West update.
Looking back over the last month, there have been some very memorable events and some notable achievements in the South West region.
Our Big thinking consultation, which took place over the winter months, moved forward a step and the results have been published our Strategic Framework document, which outlines our funding strategy for the next six years.
Headlines from the document include a UK-wide target that at least 80 per cent of funding goes directly to the Voluntary and Community Sector between 2009-2015. We have also launched a multi-million pound package for recession-hit UK communities to help them cope with the effects of the recession. See below for how you can get a copy of the results and strategy document.
June also saw the first round of grants in the Heroes Return 2 programme. Over 250 WWII veterans from the South West are receiving awards from the programme so that they, their spouses, widows and carers will be able to attend 65th anniversary events - beginning in Normandy and continuing over the next two years to other commemorative sites across the world. In this way, on behalf of the whole nation, we are honouring the service and sacrifice of so many of our veterans.
Lottery funded wellbeing projects had a day of celebration and shared learning at Hestercombe Gardens in Somerset on June 24th. I was lucky enough to attend and was able to hear first hand the positive impact the Healthy Living Centres and wellbeing projects are having on the lives of people in the South West. The event also attracted a number of commissioners from the NHS who were encouraged to engage these projects in delivering health and wellbeing services in the region. I hope that the NHS takes full advantage of these lottery-funded projects and commissions them to deliver some key health services designed to meet the needs of local people.
Read on for more BIG news, I’ll be back with another update in August!
Mark Cotton
Big response to consultation...
...plus package for recession-hit communities
On 24 June BIG launched it’s new Strategic Framework alongside a multi-million pound package of funding to help communities cope with the effects of the recession.
An additional £43 million is to be invested across the UK to tackle the longer-term effects of the recession on the UK’s communities. BIG is working closely with stakeholders to determine what form the support will take, but could include targeted funding for specific services such as debt advice and support to help train increasing numbers of volunteers.
BIG has also reprioritised and refocused its portfolio and increased the budgets of some of its most popular programmes, including Reaching Communities and BASIS, a combined total increase of around £45million for this year. These steps have been taken to help get funding to where VCS voices are saying it is needed most.
This recession package has been informed by our recent consultation, Big thinking, which asked stakeholders and the wider public how BIG’s funding should be spent over the next six years to 2015. Big thinking attracted around 3,500 online survey responses and involved a further 3,000 people at events across the UK.
Sir Clive Booth, Chair of Big Lottery Fund said: “We’ve listened to what our stakeholders said and have incorporated that feedback to develop our Strategic Framework document. From this starting point, we will develop our funding programmes to distribute good-cause funding over the coming years that will make a lasting impact on the lives of communities and people in need throughout the UK.”
Find out more information on BIG’s strategic framework and download the document
Awards for All teams up with Secret Millionaire
Awards for All has teamed up with Channel 4 to give viewers a chance to help local community groups secure funding through the new Secret Millionaire Fund.
The Secret Millionaire Fund website allows applicants to nominate a community project they think would benefit from funding, or apply directly themselves.
Successful applicants to The Secret Millionaire Fund may then be selected for filming by Channel 4 and appear on the website or on the TV programme itself.
The partnership is based on one of Channel 4’s most popular TV programmes – The Secret Millionaire with 4.5 million viewers. Each week a millionaire leaves their luxury life behind, takes on a secret identity and for 10 days lives undercover in a deprived area of the UK. On their final day, the millionaires come clean and donate thousands of pounds to projects they feel will most benefit from it.
Visit the Secret Millionaire Fund website
In the first round of funding of the new-look Awards for All programme, a total of £187,577 was distributed to 26 groups across the South West region.
Amongst those receiving an award, Pendeen Friends of the School Association receives £7,000 to celebrate the centenary of their local school. The project will include the creation of a commemorative path in the school garden, oral history events, a costume day, a Cornish tea community feast, a village parade, a centenary day and an exhibition.
Other grants made in this round of awards include: £8,105 to Wadebridge Foodbank in North Cornwall to set up a food bank and drop in centre in order to provide support for people in crisis in the local area and will also provide volunteer opportunities for disabled people in the community; £10,000 to BA14 Culture in Trowbridge to promote and develop local arts and heritage; and £5,000 Music in the Church at Aust in South Gloucestershire to provide music workshops to local residents, especially children in schools, libraries and other venues throughout the area.
Take a look at the new Awards for All website: www.awardsforall.org.uk
For a full list of Awards for All recipients visit the newsroom
Assessment underway for People’s Millions 2009
A BIG thank you to everyone who submitted applications to People’s Millions, our funding programme run in association with ITV.
People’s Millions 2009 closed to applications in May and with submissions up on last year by almost 40% across the UK, the ITV and Big Lottery teams now assessing the bids have their work cut out preparing a shortlist for public vote in November.
Over the last four years BIG has awarded more than £18 million to a total of 318 projects across the UK. In this the fifth year of the People’s Millions we have 69 awards of £50,000 to give away – a total of nearly £3.5 million.
The aim of The People’s Millions programme is to fund projects that help people to transform or enjoy their environment or communities, particularly local facilities and public and green spaces. We also love to see projects that get people involved in their local community, help those in the community who are most in need and are original and imaginative.
Look out for films about short-listed projects from the South West on ITV West and ITV Westcountry News later this year.
Sustrans Connect2 Days
In June 2005 BIG and ITV announced a competition to find the winner of a £50 million National Lottery grant.
The search was on for a groundbreaking project that would inspire communities to revitalise the areas where they live. Four shortlisted projects were put forward to the public vote, which was carried out online and by telephone.
Sustrans’ Connect2 was announced as the winner on 12 December 2007.
The aims of the programme are to inspire communities to transform, revitalise and regenerate where they live and to capture the imagination of communities. Sustrans also aims to increase their involvement with the Lottery by reconnecting people with the good causes that they support.
Connect2 days for South West
Connect2 schemes offer people the opportunity to change their world by travelling by foot or bike for local journeys we all make everyday – to school, to work, or the shops. Connect2 day is an opportunity for people to celebrate this through their own local events.
In the South West Connect2 schemes are holding all kind of events. Bristol to Nailsea Connect 2 scheme are holding a school event encouraging walking or cycling to school on the Flax Bourton Greenway route on Friday 3 July. Tintern Connect2 scheme are organising a bike ride consultation in Chepstow on Saturday 4 July. Weymouth are holding a led-bike ride along the old railway path to the sailing club on 5th July and Salisbury have plans for a bike ride at Wilton carnival on July 4.
If you live near any of these Connect2 schemes please come and support your local community. These days are a great chance for everyone involved and living locally to the project to get together in their neighbourhood and share their aspirations for future developments.
For more information please visit www.sustransconnect2.org.uk/resources/Change_Your_World_Day.php
Latest news & events...
Welcome to the first edition of BIG, our new magazine
Inside, read how Lottery funding helped one village in Devon to save their post office.
Look out for issue 2 coming out soon.
Awards for All funding surgeries
The Big Lottery Fund is holding two free half-day seminar on the Awards for All small grants scheme, in Gloucester on the 16th July and Cheltenham on the 22nd July 2009.
These events are aimed specifically at applicants from these areas. As well as covering recent changes to the small grants scheme, the seminar will also look at BIG’s larger funding programmes.
Places on this free event are limited and must be booked in advance. For more information and to book a place please contact angelag@gavca.org.uk quoting ‘Awards for All’ in the subject line.
We look forward to welcoming you to a useful and informative seminar full of funding fun! To find out more about Awards for All please visit:
www.awardsforall.org.uk/england or call 0845 4 10 20 30
Dirty Weekend
On 13 and 14 June, 120 staff from BIG volunteered to get their hands dirty at one of the BIG-funded projects as part of the Breathing Places Dirty Weekend. These included the South West Regional Office staff members Lyndsay Perkins and Barbara Goody. Here they write about their experiences.
"The weather was wet, but spirits remained high at Embercombe Country Fair. Despite the rain, people arrived throughout the day to try their hand at local crafts and sample the wonderful food. We left Exeter in the morning to a clap of thunder and flash of lightning, but by the time we arrived at Embercombe the clouds had parted (at least for half an hour!). After tea insideone of theyurts the BIG volunteers went our separate ways to assist with setting up various activities.
My morning was spent down at the forge working with the blacksmith. I had the opportunity to talk to other volunteers about the community at Embercombe and try my hand at crafting a momento. I spent the afternoon selling raffle tickets and helping out on the information stall.The community spirit and commitment to the project from everyone that I spoke toimpressed me throughout the day. I came away enlightened and excited by what I had seen (and just a little bit wet!)." Lyndsay Perkins Regional Policy Officer
Barbara Goody writes: "My duty for most of the day included setting up the table to welcome visitors to the Fair and selling raffle tickets. The visitors were very wet generally by the time they arrived so were happy to buy tickets for the excellent prizes. All visitors were given a map with a trail of the site which went past the various activities which included making a besom broom, passing Steve, Dan and his daughter barbecuing delicious burgers under a very soggy shelter and a forge.
When the raffle tickets were drawn out by my grandson we all had our eye on the trip in a canoe down the River Dart for ten people. A lot of work and organisation had gone into the event and there was plenty to keep everyone occupied and the added enjoyment of a very tasty meal in front of the wood-burning stove in the large yurt.
It was a shame that the rain was torrential but it was certainly a ‘Dirty Weekend’.
Love Parks Week 2009
Love Parks Week is the perfect excuse to get outdoors and enjoy the summer.
Love Parks Week is an annual campaign, organised by parks charity GreenSpace. Founded in 2006, the campaign has grown steadily and is now established as a major event that is celebrated in parks across the country. Each year hundreds of events take place, attracting extensive media coverage and enabling thousands of people to get out and enjoy their parks.
Love Parks Week 2009 will take place between Saturday 25 July and Sunday 2 August. This year they are asking as many people as possible to get into parks to join their campaign for continued investment and support for these valuable assets. By holding an event in a park, or even just attending one, you will be helping to send the message that parks are an essential part of every community.
To find out about activities happening near you, or how you can get involved, visit www.loveparksweek.org.uk
South West office
If you have any questions about the work of the South West office email us.
If you have general enquiries please call the BIG advice line on 0845 4 10 20 30.