National Lottery funding has been awarded to groups in the Causeway Coast and Glens area to strengthen communities

The National Lottery Community Fund has announced funding to organisations in the Causeway Coast and Glens Council area as part of a Northern Ireland wide announcement of nearly £10m in funding. Over 300 grants ranging from £600 to over £500,000 are going to every Council area across Northern Ireland. 

Projects being supported include activity to improve mental health by reducing isolation and helping people affected by the rising costs of living.  

In Coleraine, Harpurs Hill Children and Family Centre has been awarded a £219,082 grant to support parents of children aged 4-7 years old, as their child starts school and progresses through the first few years of primary school. 

Sharon Lyons, Project Manager, Harpurs Hill Children and Family Centre said: “We are delighted to receive this grant to build parents’ skills and confidence to support their children’s development and make connections in their community.  

“Research and experience show how important the early years are, and parents tell us that our project has truly changed their family life, helping families spend time together improving mental health and behaviour. Thanks to National Lottery players, we can now change even more lives.” 

Moyle Community First Responders received a £10,000 grant to buy nine defibrillators to support them to provide lifesaving care to people with a medical emergency as they await the arrival of the ambulance service. 

Ballykelly Men’s Shed has also been awarded a £9,950 grant to provide a warm drop-in space for members to learn new skills, improve their health and wellbeing and access advice and support. 

BCW Training in Ballycastle is using a £9,946 grant to run an outdoor growing programme to bring people closer to nature and improve their health and wellbeing. The project will teach people new skills to grow their own food, learn how to cook their produce and improve their knowledge on nutrition.   

Also receiving funding is the Zachary Geddis Break the Silence Trust, based in Coleraine. They are using a £36,000 grant to expand their support service so they can help more people who are struggling with their mental health. Over three years the project will cover running costs for their new mental health and wellbeing centre which will be open six days a week. The centre will provide a drop-in service, counselling, mental health education workshops, mentoring, support hubs and wellbeing activities. 

The funding announcement comes in the same month as The National Lottery Community Fund unveiled its new strategy ‘It starts with community,’ which outlines its funding priorities from now to 2030 - https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/about/our-strategy. 

 Paul Sweeney, NI Chair of The National Lottery Community Fund said: “We fund projects that matter to communities, and I’m delighted to see such a wide range of groups awarded, each making such a difference across Northern Ireland.  

“We want to get behind communities and help them make the difference on the ground. Our existing grant programmes remain open, so if we can be of assistance, please contact us. 

“These funded projects demonstrate how positive change ‘starts with community’, which is at the heart of our new strategy. We look forward to talking to those who receive or need funding as we develop our future programmes.” 

Thanks to National Lottery players, during the last financial year, The National Lottery Community Fund awarded 663 new grants totalling £27.9 million to support local communities in NI.