National Lottery Community Fund launches new 2030 strategy to support Derry communities

PICTURED ABOVE: Lucille Harrigan, Manager of Supervalu Northside Shopping Centre, a National Lottery retailer, Lorraine Gallen, Funding Officer, Derry and Strabane area for The National Lottery Community Fund, Owen Kelly, volunteer in Thrift Charity Shop and Anne Marie Donnelly, Services Manager, Liberty Consortium

A UK wide strategy, entitled 'It starts with community', launched today by The National Lottery Community Fund, sets out plans for a funder from now until 2030. 

Over the next seven years The Fund will focus on four key priorities where it wants to make the biggest impact.

These are to support communities to come together; to be environmentally sustainable; help children and young people thrive; and enable people to live healthier lives.

The funder has also committed to taking an equity-based approach to its work going forward, with a sharper focus on addressing inequalities.

Showing commitment to supporting grass roots organisations, the small grants programme, National Lottery Awards for All will be doubling the amount groups can apply for from £10,000 to £20,000 and doubling the term from 1 year to 2 years with these changes coming into effect from late autumn this year.

Launching the strategy at National Lottery funded, Liberty Consortium in Derry, Paul Sweeney, NI Chair said: “I am delighted to be in the heart of the community in Derry today, to outline our plans for making a bigger difference, both by listening and responding to communities.

“Our new strategy, ‘It starts with community’ will be implemented over the next two years during which time we plan to have conversations with customers, stakeholders and those people who need our funding most to help us develop new Northern Ireland funding programmes.

Launching ‘It starts with community,’ The National Lottery Community Fund’s new strategy to 2030 at the Thrift Charity Shop, run by Liberty Consortium in Derry

“In the meantime, all of our Northern Ireland funding programmes remain open and available for people to apply, and we look forward to joining our colleagues across the UK as we increase our investment in National Lottery Awards for All later this Autumn.”

Welcoming staff from The National Lottery Community Fund to Liberty Consortium, who run a Hub and charity shop in Northside Shopping Centre, Anne Marie Donnelly, Services Manager said: “We are delighted to be part of this exciting event, helping launch the way forward for The National Lottery Community Fund to 2030.

“We support young people with a learning disability and autism, and this wouldn’t have been possible without the grant funding totalling over £2.2 million of National Lottery money we have received over the last 20 years.

“We are delighted to see young people and environment at the forefront of this new strategy, areas we are working on and know are so important.”

Owen Kelly, Anne Marie Donnelly, Services Manager, Liberty Consortium, Kate Beggs, NI Director, The National Lottery Community Fund, Lucille Harrigan, Supervalu Manager, Northside Shopping Centre, Paul Sweeney, NI Chair, The National Lottery Community Fund, Lorraine Gallen, Funding Officer, The National Lottery Community Fund and Sarah McCrystal.

As part of ‘It starts with community,’ £15 million is also being earmarked for a new UK wide programme that will connect communities, as well as an additional £9 million boost going into its popular Climate Action Fund.

The National Lottery Community Fund distributes money raised by National Lottery players. Thanks to National Lottery players, during the last financial year, The National Lottery Community Fund in Northern Ireland awarded 663 new grants totalling £27.9 million to support local communities.