Harry Cohen
THE “HELPING HANDS”AWARDS
This year sees the National Lottery celebrate its 10th birthday and to mark the occasion they have launched ‘The Helping Hand Awards’ to find the UK’s favourite National Lottery funded projects.
Over the past decade good causes in Warrington North have received 174 awards with a value of over £5.7 million. The size of the individual awards range from a couple of thousand pounds to hundreds of thousands of pounds but each has had a major impact on the group who has received the award and the people and community that group serves. Some of those who have received awards include, Warrington Community Transport for their minibus service, Warrington Stroke Club for the respite care they offer, Birchwood Youth Association for youth centre materials, Dallam Community Luncheon Club for providing affordable meals and a recreational environment, Woolston Wasps Links Club for holiday places for our youngsters and St Lewis’ RC Primary School eco group for their wildlife and nature trail. These are only a few examples. I have visited many of these groups and have seen for myself how important they are which I why I think Warrington North projects should be nominated for the Helping Hand Awards.
Projects can apply directly or have others apply for them and a panel of experts and celebrity judges will short list in each of six categories. The public then have a chance to take part in a national vote with the winners being unveiled at a special ceremony on National Lottery Day on 6th November. The winners will be chosen from both large-scale and small projects.
The six categories are:
- Children’s Champion Award – open to any project that has directly benefited children or young people.
- Amazing Space Award – open to any project which has transformed a publicly accessible place.
- Inspiration Award – designed to celebrate the most innovative and creative use of lottery funding.
- Local Legend Award – awarded for the best contribution by an individual or community group at a grass roots level.
- National Hero Award – awarded to the person with a national profile whose achievements have been made possible by lottery funding.
- UK Life Award – to recognise the greatest overall impact to UK life.
Individuals and groups can apply so long as they have been awarded lottery funding, if only in part, for a project. I can provide application forms for groups to apply directly. People wanting to nominate groups themselves can do so by writing to National Lottery Helping Hand Awards, Lottery Monitor, 67-71 Goswell Road, London, EC1V 7EP or by e-mailing Helen@lottery-monitor.com Remember to state which category the application is for and to give as much detail as possible about your chosen project. Final date for receipt of applications is 30th July.
I am sure that projects in Warrington can equal and better others around the country so lets get those applications in and bring another award to the town.
You can contact Helen Jones by writing to Gilbert Wakefield House, 67 Bewsey Street, WA2 7JQ; by phoning 01925 232 480; by faxing 01925 232 239 or by e-mail at jonesh@parliament.uk
