£10k funding boost for Castlemara estate

Castlemara Community Association will receive £10,000 from the Awards for All programme.

They are among 92 groups across Northern Ireland who are sharing in a total grants windfall of £750,350.

Awards for All offers community, voluntary and statutory groups the chance to apply for small grants of between £500 and £10,000 that will have a big impact on communities and the lives of people most in need.

Since its formation in 2012, Castlemara Community Association has worked closely with inter-agency partners to improve services and quality of life for residents.

The group will use the £10,000 grant to provide activities for residents of the Castlemara estate, including trips for young people, older people and families, a community festival and seasonal events. 

Joanne McDowell, Big Lottery Fund NI director, said: “The Big Lottery Fund’s NI Awards for All programme funds health, education, environment and community projects that help people bring about positive change in their lives, improve health and well-being, develop skills and create safer communities.

“The application process is simple and accessible and shall remain so, making it easy for applicants to successfully apply for small pots of funding that can have such a big impact on local communities and lives.”

Meanwhile, the Big Lottery Fund is opening a new funding programme called People and Communities in January 2016, with a budget of £60 million for communities in Northern Ireland.

Organisers are looking for ideas, knowledge and examples to understand how this programme could support people’s lives and communities. Feedback is needed by September 30, 2015.

For more information on People and Communities or Awards for All, see https://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/