Local groups receive share of £6m lottery funding

The National Lottery Community Fund has awarded £20,000 of grants to TinyLife and Oasis Caring in Action’s Antrim Foodbank.

The news comes as part of an announcement of over £6million of funding to over 140 organisations who are supporting people in Northern Ireland with the rising cost of living, to improve their mental health and to make social connections.

TinyLife which is working in the local area, has been awarded a £10,000 grant to deliver their Tiny Gym sessions in venues across Antrim and Ballymena. The sessions will run once a month to improve the physical development of premature babies in a supportive and relaxing environment for parents.

Emma O’Neill, Head of Operations, said: “TinyGym sessions and the skills transferred to parents not only help develop babies physically but also aid mental wellbeing, attachment and parent/baby bonding.

“Thanks to The National Lottery Community Fund and National Lottery Players for making our project possible. With support of this funding, approximately 250 premature/sick babies and their parents have benefited from this support so far.”

National Lottery players raise over £30 million each week for good causes like this throughout the UK, including Oasis Caring in Action. They are using their National Lottery grant to support the running of their Antrim Foodbank which distributes food supplies in five centres across the town. The project will ensure the foodbank can continue to provide emergency food and support following an increase in demand for services.

Fionnuala O’Donnell from Antrim Foodbank said: “We’re delighted that The National Lottery Community Fund has recognised the importance of our work. We have seen a 15% increase in demand for emergency food parcels compared to last year - this is the most parcels the food bank has ever needed to provide.

“We’re also seeing donations to the foodbank decrease due to rising costs and some people who might have donated to the foodbank last year are now relying on food support for themselves.

“But, thanks to National Lottery players, we now have the funding to keep Antrim Foodbank going for another year.”

Kate Beggs, Northern Ireland Director of The National Lottery Community Fund commented: “Congratulations to the wide range of groups receiving funding today, all making a big impact. We look forward to seeing what they achieve in their area.

“We launched our new strategy 'It starts with community' earlier this year which is the roadmap for our funding up to 2030. We are developing our future portfolio of funding programmes over the next year to ensure National Lottery money continues to make a difference to communities across NI.”