Northern Ireland community projects receive funding boost

The National Lottery Community Fund has announced more than £2m of funding to support community projects across Northern Ireland. 

The funding will be used to support 46 projects which range from supporting children with cancer to bringing people together through community events such as community cinemas.

The grants will range in size, from £500 to £500,000, depending on the project.

One project that is set to benefit from the funding is Leafair Community Association in Derry that works to empower people of all ages to lead fuller and healthier lives.

Leafair will use their £361,900 grant to develop a new project: ‘MALE: Men, Active, Learning and Engagement,’ the project will work to introduce isolated and disengaged men to a wide range of social, learning, economic and cultural activities.

The money will help to host employability training and taster sessions which will hopefully increase their skills and address problems with confidence, loneliness and well-being.

Peter McDonald, manager of Leafair community association said: ‘We often find that men retreat into their homes and don’t want to admit they are suffering.

‘At Leafair our priority with this funding will make a huge difference, the MALE project will get local men engaged in activities within the community, to prove that there is more to life than staring out your window.’

Kate Beggs, the director of the National Lottery Community Fund in Northern Ireland, said: ‘Our experience of working with communities is that when you listen, people have amazing ideas to make thing better and to change people’s lives in their own area.

‘It is great to see the diverse work being done through projects funded by National Lottery money.

‘Whether it’s small pots of funding or larger grants, people are being brought together to make good things happen and change lives. When people take the lead and develop their own great ideas, communities really do thrive. I want to say thanks to all the National Lottery players who have helped make this possible.’

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