Farron calls on communities to put themselves forward for Peoples' Millions funding
As the Big Lottery Fund and ITV launch the 8th year of their Peoples' Millions grants programme, local MP Tim Farron is encouraging community groups from across South Lakeland to get involved and enter the competition to try and win up to £50,000 in funding.
The Peoples' Millions grants programme has been running since 2005 and have made awards to 523 project worth £27.8 million since it began. This year they expect to award up to £50,000 to four projects in each of the 19 ITV regional news areas, 76 awards in total. Entries for the programme are now open and the deadline is 13 May 2013.
Tim is calling on local groups to enter the competition to try and win funding inspire involve and improve their local community. The Peoples' Millions grants programme is intended to encourage local charities and community groups to apply for BIG grants and raise awareness of National Lottery funding. Each night for a week in November, those who make the best applications will battle it out on prime time ITV regional news for the public vote.
Back in 2011, Burton Memorial Hall won funding to provide specific toilets for the children and a safe play area for its pre-school users, along with a much-needed new heating system and better lighting for the Hall. They beat off competition from project in Whitehaven over during head-to-head programme aired in June 2011.
Commenting Tim said: "This is great opportunity to win funds and raise awareness of the issues facing the communities in our area. There are some absolutely fantastic local projects that are running in the South Lakes including some aimed at increasing broadband supply in rural areas, supporting the elderly community, helping to improve apprenticeship opportunities and supporting the extension of the arts across the South Lakes and anyone of these would be well deserving of funding through the Peoples' Millions project."
To enter fill out the simple entry form online at www.peoplesmillions.org.uk or contact the Big Advice Line on 0845 0 10 11 12. The deadline for applications is 13 May 2013. To date approximately half of all groups entering the competition have not been funded by BIG before.