YOU, the public, get to decide which community projects get National Lottery funding support. The Film of the TIES IN NOTTS project will be aired on ITV and viewers can vote on this year’s worthy winner.
MAKE TO MAKE from Nottingham City is calling for your vote to secure £44,523.75 of National Lottery funding as part of this year’s People’s Projects.
Our Project, TIES IN NOTTS, which is based in Nottingham and runs the free Lego Club and The Craft Cafe activities in the city, is one of five groups in The Central East region in the running for a share of up to £150,000 of funding.
Now in its 13th year, the Big Lottery Fund, ITV and The National Lottery are teaming up to give the public a chance to decide how National Lottery funding should be put to good use in their local area.
Designed to celebrate some of the incredible projects the Big Lottery Fund has supported over the past year, 95 community-based schemes are now shortlisted across the UK. In each region, the three with the most public votes will receive grants of up to £50,000. This will help them to continue their work to improve local people’s lives. The entire amount up for grabs across the UK is a life-changing £3 million.
Today (April 17), MAKE TO MAKE will showcase its project, TIES IN NOTTS on ITV regional news at 6pm.
To be in with a chance of winning, MAKE TO MAKE is calling on viewers to support its bid. Voting opened yesterday (Monday 16 April) at www.thepeoplesprojects.org.uk.
If successful, MAKE TO MAKE will use the grant to continue the TIES IN NOTTS events; we will put on LOADS more Lego Clubs and Craft Cafes throughout the city as well as celebration events and get-togethers for participants. The money would pay for staff, equipment and transport to be able to continue our great work.
Kim, managing director and project co-ordinator at MAKE TO MAKE and the TIES IN NOTTS Project says;
“Everything we do is about bringing people together… Lego Club is a place for everyone but especially somewhere dads can feel comfortable to come and engage with their kids in a social environment. The Craft Cafe, again, is for everyone but is especially important to the local women who come, who may not have many friends, family or support networks locally, we enable those connections to happen while also teaching practical skills."
Kim continued:
"This is an exciting opportunity to raise awareness and support for our work and, with your help, to secure further much-needed funding. We urge local people to get behind us. If successful, our project will continue to make a real difference to our local communities with the work we do by allowing more people to access our free activities. Everyone is invited."
Joe Ferns, UK Funding Director of the Big Lottery Fund, said:
“As the largest funder of community activity in the UK, we are proud to support grassroots groups that are using the vision, determination and drive of local people to strengthen communities. The People’s Projects showcases the best of these and is a chance for you to have your say on how National Lottery funding can benefit your local community.”
Since 2005, around £39 million has been awarded through the Big Lottery Fund, National Lottery and ITV/STV partnership to 865 Good Causes across the UK.
Voting closes at midday on Monday 30 April 2018. People can vote once per region and will need an email address to vote**. To support TIES IN NOTTS and MAKE TO MAKE and for Ts & Cs please visit www.thepeoplesprojects.org.uk
