A man who came up with an idea for a loneliness scheme for his community group applied for a £1,000 lottery grant. They applied and hoped for the best. Earlier this year, his Birmingham community loneliness programme went go ahead after winning a £1,000 grant from the Big Lottery Fund. The money became available as part of the National Lottery’s 25th anniversary. This proves that a scheme does not need to already be in place to win a lottery grant. But what is it? What will he do with the money to help loneliness in the city?
About the Birmingham Community Loneliness Programme
Peter Horton came up with an idea of a community barbecue. He isn’t new to community work, having helped out at various social projects since his retirement. His new Birmingham community loneliness programme is aimed at people of all ages. Peter recognises how loneliness can affect anyone of any age at any time. Increasing social isolation, especially in big cities, creates social interaction problems. Humans are social creatures and need stimulation of human contact – acquaintances, family, and friends. When he started volunteering, his programme focused on men over the age of 50 struggling with social isolation. But now, he wants to reach out to the wider community.
The Birmingham community loneliness programme barbecue received the £1,000 fund. That was earlier this year and the lottery is currently open to other local projects. The National Lottery is 25 years old. it’s helped some great schemes right across the country. Now, it’s doing it again. If you have any great ideas for your local community, why not look into applying? Every year, the National Lottery funds make money available for community and heritage projects just like yours. For the £1,000 grant, all you need is to run a group consisting of a minimum two people.