The Place in Alness amongst Ross-shire projects hitting National Lottery jackpot
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A ROSS-SHIRE youth community group is today celebrating a £19,000 boost to help it provide afterschool activities, a supper club and holiday programmes for children in the area.
The Place youth group in Alness is amongst winners announced today in a fresh round of National Lottery funding.
It’s one of a number of Highland community groups which will be able to provide vital services and support for local people.
Inverness based charity, New Start Highland, help people get back on their feet in challenging times by providing them with the skills they need for employment, the confidence they need to engage in their community and the goods they need to make their house a home. An award of £60,000 means they can set up a furniture and household goods service in the region for people struggling with the cost of living.
Aaron Close from Inverness started volunteering for New Start Highland back in 2015 as a shy 16-year-old. He had just dropped out of his college course after struggling with his time keeping and interpersonal skills.
Aaron always had a passion for bikes and so he rekindled his interest by joining New Start Highland’s bike project as a volunteer and later became a permanent member of staff. From an unsettled, uncertain future, Aaron, now 26, is much more optimistic about what lies ahead.
He explained: “I couldn’t answer a phone or speak to a client before, but now I’m really easy with it. I don’t mind a bit. I’ve got a great job, good friends, a lot more skills than I had, and I want to do even more. I might even do another course because I’m ready now, and I wasn’t before.”
Commenting on the recent funding, Funding Manager at New Start Highland, Iain Herd said: “News of this funding comes at a crucial time and means we can continue to deliver essential furniture and household goods throughout our local community.
“Our team is supported by a group of volunteers, many of whom have lived experience of suffering from poverty and the pressures of cost of living. This provides a unique insight into what our target group need and how our service is shaped to help them.”
The latest round from The National Lottery Community Fund is shared amongst 384 projects across Scotland, sharing in £15,048,544.
The Place Youth Centre in Alness, receives £19,024 to fund a youth worker who will deliver afterschool activities, supper club and holiday programmes for children in the area. This funding was made possible due to the recent changes to National Lottery Awards for All meaning groups can now apply for up to £20,000 for a project lasting up to two years.
Speaking about the Youth Club, 14-year-old Jamie Dickson from Alness said: “I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for the staff at The Place encouraging me to reach my goals. I want to study politics when I leave school with the end goal of becoming a politician someday. I want to express my views and stand up for my community and The Place have given me that voice.”
Youth worker Natalie Hamilton said: “National Lottery funding has changed lives. It has enabled us to provide venues where young people can feel safe and participate in a wide range of activities that supports wider achievement. For young people that are not academically able, this is huge as they are able to gain recognised qualifications just by participation.”
Announcing the funding, Kate Still, Scotland Chair, The National Lottery Community Fund said: “This latest round of National Lottery funding will be distributed to groups across the Highlands who are providing a range of essential services and support for thousands of local people, helping to make a real difference to their lives.
“As The National Lottery prepares to mark its 30th birthday later this year, today’s investment is a timely reminder of the difference that National Lottery players continue to make to communities across the country.”
The National Lottery Community Fund distributes funding on behalf of National Lottery players who raise more than £30 million each week for good causes throughout the UK.
Other awards include:
Gairloch Community Hall £5500 - to refurbish the sprung floor in their community hall.
Torridon District Community Association £10,000 to progress key priorities identified in the Torridon and Kinlochewe Development Plan.
