Magherafelt group D.A.D.S. among Mid Ulster Groups to share over £600k in National Lottery funding

The National Lottery Community Fund has awarded funding of over £600,000 to organisations in the Mid Ulster area. 

This is part of wider announcement of over £10.5 million across Northern Ireland, including grass roots community organisations delivering vital activities to local people to reduce isolation and build connections. 

One of the organisations receiving funding is Dyslexia and Dyspraxia Support in Magherafelt, known as D.A.D.S., which is using a £496,098 grant to support young people with additional needs to cope with the extra challenges they face while going through important life stages.  

Over five years the project will run activities, workshops, mentoring and therapies to teach the young people skills and strategies to prepare them for changes in their lives, and to increase their confidence, build support networks and improve their health and wellbeing. The project will also create a guide for families, carers and statutory agencies to better understand and support young people with additional needs through crisis points.   

Josie McGuckin, Manager, D.A.D.S., said: “Thanks to the National Lottery Community Fund, D.A.D.S. will be launching a new programme for neurodiverse individuals who are worried about transitions in their lives. We aim to make transitions easier and will offer whatever support is required. We welcome anyone from the Mid Ulster area to join our project.”  

Meanwhile, St John’s Parish Church, based in Moneymore, is using a £20,000 grant over one year to replace the roof of their church hall and install a new kitchen. The project will allow the group to continue to open the building for community activities including a young farmers club, event and parent and toddler groups.

ABOVE: St. John’s: Back row: The Rural Dean, Church of Ireland, the Rev'd Dr Iain Jamieson, Mr Keith Buchanan MLA, CLR Wesley Brown Mid Ulster. Front row: Mr & Mrs Osmond Bell caretakers of the hall, Mrs Betty Bell Church Treasurer. 

Ringsend Community Group, based outside Moneymore, is using a £10,800 grant to upgrade the kitchen facilities in their hall and make it a more accessible venue for the local community to use.

Thanks to National Lottery players, £30 million a week is raised for good causes like these across the UK.

Kate Beggs, Northern Ireland Director of The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “It’s incredible to see this £10.5 million of funding going to the charities, community organisations and voluntary groups which are doing vital work every day to support people in their community.  

“We’re proud to invest money raised by people who play the National Lottery back into communities, to strengthen them and improve lives. As part of our new strategy ‘It starts with community’, we’re developing a new large grant programme to continue to reach people most in need which will open in the Autumn.”  

More information on National Lottery funding can be found  here