‘Getting a lottery grant has just lifted everyone’

The National Lottery Community Fund announced funding of £594,379 to 71 community projects from across the North last week.

A total of eight groups in the Derry and Strabane area received funding.

They include St Columb’s College, for a project to provide support to families as well as health and wellbeing programmes to staff and pupils, Obon on the Foyle, for a programme of Japanese arts and cultural activities, and Derry and District Bee Keepers Association, to provide much needed accessibility and equipment storage facilities for their growing bee-keeper membership.

Other groups to receive funding include St Joseph’s Boxing Club, Music to Your Ears, based in Strabane, Bro Scott Goligher Memorial Hall and Circle of Support.

Circle of Support (COS), which supports parents of children with Autism, will use their grant of £9,900 to install plumbing and heating at their new facility in Springtown.

David Campbell, Chairperson of COS, said they were ‘thrilled’ to receive the grant as the heating system was the main thing holding up the renovations at the site.

“It was a huge relief to get the funding. In total the heating system cost in the region of £13,000 and we were struggling to raise the funds.

“Getting the grant from National Lottery Community Fund just lifted everyone,” David said.

“Unfortunately as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic work has had to stop on the site, but all the pipe work has been done and radiators fitted.”

COS had hoped to open the centre in time for World Autism Day later this week, but as a result of the global pandemic this has had to be pushed back.

“The heating work is just one part that isn’t completed. The sensory rooms aren’t ready yet either as they have to be made to measure. We are hoping to open the centre in September,” David revealed.

The Director of the National Lottery Community Fund in the North as reassured local groups that funding is still being awarded despite the pandemic.

Kate Beggs said: “In this time of uncertainty, we want to reassure the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector that we are open, money is still being awarded and we are here to support our communities.

“We continue to deliver our services to applicants, grant holders and communities across the UK as normally as we can with all staff working from home and prioritising keeping money flowing.”