Big Lottery Fund

BIG puts £15 million into improving children's life chances

Supporting young children growing up in very difficult family circumstances, BIG Lottery Fund (BIG) is today announcing awards totalling £15.2m across the UK for 17 groundbreaking projects to help transform their life chances. These are the first awards from BIG's Improving Futures programme, which will provide up to £26 million for more joined-up and earlier support to families with multiple and complex problems.

Newark Chauntry Group

DAMASCUS

Young people in Oxfordshire tell us what it is like to be involved with the DAMASCUS Youth Project. DAMASCUS was awarded £179627 from the Big Lottery Fund's Young People's Fund. If you want to find out more about the project visit youtu.be

Community Matters Partnership

The Community Matters Partnership received an £8900 Awards for All grant to help them run volunteer days in the borough of Rushmoor in Hampshire. We went along to find out more about the work they are doing and how it is benefiting the local community. To find out more about the partnership visit www.communitymatterspartnership.org.uk To apply to Awards for All visit www.awardsforall.org.uk

It's easy to apply to Awards For All Scotland

There's never been a better time for community and voluntary groups to apply for Awards for All Scotland. Adele Goodfellow explains what the small grant scheme is all about and where to find more information. www.awardsforall.org.uk

£35 Million Lottery- Funded Forces in Mind Trust Launches

The Forces In Mind Trust, a partnership of UK forces charities and mental health organisations, led by the Confederation of Service Charities (COBSEO), has been given partnership support from The Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry which will back the Trust with its own grants over a three-year programme as well as helping raise awareness of the issues facing veterans.

Big Lottery Fund - Emmanuel House

Emmanuel House Day Centre provides a vital service for homeless and vulnerable people in Nottingham. In this audio slideshow Ruth Shelton, chief executive, talks about Christmas at the centre and Tom Finley, who uses the centre, explains how Emmanuel house has made a big difference to his life.

Big Lottery Fund: inspirational voices of the Tenovus Sing for Life choir

These are the inspirational voices of the Tenovus Sing for Life choir who was among the 30 Welsh groups sharing in £20 million from the Big Lottery Fund. Cancer has touched the lives of everyone in the choir including Angela Davies from Caerphilly who is terminally ill. Despite a daily struggle with pain, the determined 50-year-old says she is not giving up.

Big Lottery Fund Christmas Message 2011

Peter Wanless, Chief Executive of the Big Lottery Fund talks about the highlights of another eventful year at BIG. He talks about Village SOS, Heroes Return and other exciting projects we have funded this year that are making a real difference to the lives of people in those communities.

Cardboard Citizens

BIG funded Cardboard Citizens uses theatre to help people to move out of homelessness and make positive changes in their lives. In just five weeks a group of twelve young people who had never met before put their thoughts and feelings into words and song to tell their story of life on the streets in Life Ain't No Musical.

People Powered Change - Wigton

The Big Lottery Fund and Your Square Mile are working together to get people to focus on the square mile they live in, come together as a community and deal with the problems they face. Wigton in Cumbria was one of the first places in the UK to have a curfew. A local youth group put on their own music festival, entirely led and managed by the members of the local youth group.

People Powered Change - Pollokshields

The Big Lottery Fund and Your Square Mile are working together to get people to focus on the square mile they live in, come together as a community and deal with the problems they face. In Pollokshields, Glasgow, local people own and volunteer at a community hall that caters for older people. They are trying to move into a new building as their current one is old and dilapidated.

People Powered Change - Gorleston

The Big Lottery Fund and Your Square Mile are working together to get people to focus on the square mile they live in, come together as a community and deal with the problems they face. The project in Gorleston, near Great Yarmouth, will give young people confidence and the skills to go out and get work. They will build their own youth facility through apprenticeships with local builders in the area to help themselves and other young people.

People Powered Change - Glyncoch

The Big Lottery Fund and Your Square Mile are working together to get people to focus on the square mile they live in, come together as a community and deal with the problems they face. In Glyncoch in Wales they're bringing older and younger people together. They are doing this through a garden club at the local school where they are growing vegetables. They will take the produce round to the older people in the community.

People Powered Change - Boundary Estate

The Big Lottery Fund and Your Square Mile are working together to get people to focus on the square mile they live in, come together as a community and deal with the problems they face. In the Boundary Estate in the East End of London a youth group are working together with the local community to set up a youth club. They will share the facilities with a toddler group so the whole community benefits.

Sense Scotland: National Lottery Award winner

One of four Big Lottery Fund funded winners of the National Lottery Awards

Include Duchenne: National Lottery Award winner

One of four Big Lottery Fund funded winners of the National Lottery Awards

Hands That Talk: National Lottery Award winner

One of four Big Lottery Fund funded winners of the National Lottery Awards

Green Valley: National Lottery Award winner

One of four Big Lottery Fund funded winners of the National Lottery Awards

Boston community cafe and pop in centre

Big Lottery Fund visits the Age Concern Boston & South Holland community cafe that was funded by an Award For All grant of £8941.

Gleadless Valley Forum - Big Lottery Fund

Calderdale Smart Move

Calderdale Smart Move is a charity that aim to help homeless or inadequately housed people find homes, provide food and teach needed skills.

Heartbeat Circle Podcast

Heartbeat circle is a group in Bradford who aim to improve elderly people's health.

Young Lives in Yorkshire and the Humber: looking forward together in 2011

A discussion of youth projects and how they will be operating in the future.