LOTTERY LAYS FOUNDATIONS FOR NORTH WEST HEALTH KICK
Communities throughout the North West are set to reap the healthy benefits of a massive £8.8 million investment from the Big Lottery Fund.
Today’s grant, awarded from BIG’s Well-being programme and co-ordinated by Groundwork Northwest, will help improve the physical and mental health of over 57,000 vulnerable people across the region.
The cash windfall completes the £134.4 million Well-being programme which has funded numerous national and regional organisations England-wide with the aim of bringing whole communities – young and old – into good mental and physical health by promoting exercise and healthy eating.
The most deprived and marginalised communities in the region will be targeted through 91 projects managed by Groundwork Northwest in conjunction with a range of specialist partners.
Running across a wide network of Initiatives, the portfolio aims to deliver a sustainable programme of activity with projects including cycling initiatives, growing fresh produce in city farms, mobile play units and environmental community projects.
Michelle McNamee Head of Big Lottery Fund North West region said: “Investment in healthy living and active lifestyles has become more important over the last few years, especially in the wake of growing obesity levels and the increase of mental health conditions such as stress, depression and anxiety.“
She continued; “This award will go a long way in helping some of the most disadvantaged people and communities to maintain a healthy lifestyle and access preventative health services at a local level, but they are also part of a wider attempt for a national change in attitudes, lifestyles and improving the life chances for people of all ages.”
One group in Knowsley will hit the dance floor to tackle inactivity through its Shimmy Shimmy Shake Shake scheme.
The project, which was awarded £60,112, will engage with 1000 residents living in the most disadvantaged areas of Knowsley who currently do not lead active lifestyles. The grant will provide two dance sessions per week in twelve neighbourhoods in a series of ten-week courses.
Besides promoting active lifestyles. Dance will be used to break down perceptions and barriers that may exist with more traditional physical activity programmes.
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Each dance course will deliver a different dance style, determined by the participants. There will be celebration events to recognise the achievements of participants, increase community networking and to showcase the project to the wider community.
"The project will give people the chance to explore the vast array of dancing styles the world has to offer and learn a little about their culture without ever leaving their area" said Linda Richings, Head of Community and Voluntary Sector Support Service, in Knowsley.
"An international flavour will be brought to the classes by making costumes, masks and much more to give people an authentic taste of the various dancing styles and traditions"
In Manchester healthy eating will be combined with battling mental-health in an innovative social enterprise. ‘Healthy Eating Local Food’ (HELF), a community partnership led by Health Advocacy Resource Project, were awarded £91,029 to engage mental health service users and others in healthy local food activities.
By offering a variety of food based work opportunities for mental health service users, based around growing, cooking, processing, and distributing food, participants will be supported through education, training and ‘moving on’ services.
Much of the work will take place in a number of community cafes located around Manchester. Participants will both help to run the cafes and benefit from the healthy food on offer.
"This is great news. The funding will make a big difference in improving the mental health and well being of mental health service users plus the wider community" said Rob Squires, project consultant on behalf of the HELF Partnership, "Through the development of a social enterprise we will engage people in a range of healthy local food activities, including cooking and growing at a variety of cafes and plots of land around the city"
The Well-being programme, launched in April 2006, is providing funding to support the development of healthier lifestyles and to improve well-being. The programme will focus on three strands: mental health – to help people and communities to improve mental well-being; physical activity – to help people to become more physically active in their daily lives and in their communities; and healthy eating - for children, parents and the wider community to eat more healthily. To deliver this programme, the fund will appoint a number of organisations that will each deliver a portfolio of projects in England.
The Big Lottery Fund rolls out close to £2 million in Lottery good cause money every 24 hours which together with other Lottery distributors means that across the UK most people are within a few miles of a Lottery-funded project.
The Big Lottery Fund, the largest of the National Lottery good cause distributors, has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK since its inception in June 2004.
On 1 December 2006 the Big Lottery Fund was officially established by Parliament and at the same time assumed the residual responsibilities of the dissolved National Lottery Charities Board (Community Fund) the New Opportunities Fund, and the Millennium Commission. The Fund is building on the experience and best practice of the predecessor bodies to simplify funding in those areas where they overlap and to ensure Lottery funding provides the best possible value for money.