Cloughmills environmentalist Patrick Frew nominated for National Lottery Award

Patrick Frew, from the Cloughmills Community Action Team (CCAT), has been shortlisted in the Environment category because of his incredible work in the local community. 

A committed volunteer, Patrick helped found the organisation in 1998 and it has played a key role in helping improve the lives and well-being of others.

It has helped co-ordinate a Village Renewal Plan, developed two community gardens in the area and transformed an old mill to provide a range of invaluable services for local people.

Since 2000, the Cloughmills Community Action Team has received more than £186,000 of National Lottery funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, The National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.

Patrick said: "I’m very surprised to get nominated, because we just tend to get on with what we’re doing, as it’s a project everyone involved really loves.

“Being part of CCAT has helped me with my own health and wellbeing as I, like lots of others have had struggles in the past. Being involved as a volunteer has made me a

more confident and happy person, and through all I’ve learned with the charity, I can tackle anything now.”

The National Lottery Awards are the annual celebration of the ordinary individuals and organisations who do extraordinary things with the help of National Lottery funding.  This year, 3,780 people and projects were nominated for the work they have carried out with the help of National Lottery funding. 

Winners will be revealed in the autumn and will receive a £5,000 cash prize for their organisation and a coveted National Lottery Awards trophy.   

The individual’s section of this year’s National Lottery Awards will honour unsung heroes in the following categories:  Culture, Arts & Film , Heritage , Sport , Community/Charity , Environment  and Young Hero Award (Under 25s).

In addition to the outstanding individual’s category, an online public vote will be held this year to find The National Lottery’ UK Project of the Year. These nominees will be whittled down to 16 finalists, with a UK-wide public vote in September deciding the winner.   

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