Four Charities Scoop Dream Fund Support

1st February 2013

Big wins for charities' dream projects announced at Postcode Lottery Charity Gala

Four British charities received good news this week, as they discovered they'd won funding to create the project of their dreams, thanks to players of People's Postcode Lottery. They are sharing a pot of £350,000, part of the £22.6 Million raised entirely by players.

Blackburne House for Women in Merseyside, ENABLE Scotland in North Ayrshire, the Manchester International Festival and Wild Things in Moray will all receive funding to put their ‘dream projects’ into action.

Blackburne House for Women have been awarded almost £86,000 for their Bee Project. Working with The British Beekeepers' Association, they will make owning a bee hive easy, popular and fun across urban Merseyside. They'll be giving out flat-pack bee hives and beekeeping starter kits and providing training courses on beekeeping.

ENABLE Scotland received £98,639 to  work with Impact Arts Hazeldene on a project which aims to use gardening to produce life-transforming opportunities. The joint initiative will see a new social enterprise created for young people and adults with learning disabilities across North Ayrshire.

Manchester International Festival secured £91,121 and will work with Biospheric Foundation to create an ‘urban farm’. Their work will encourage people from all backgrounds across Manchester to produce sustainable food for the local community.

Wild Things was granted project funding of £74,069. The charity will work with The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society to develop the Moray Firth Coastal Classroom. This innovative environmental education programme for young people will use the coastline around the Moray Firth as inspiration.

This is the first time that charities in Manchester and Merseyside were able to apply for funds.

Clara Govier, Head of Charities People's Postcode Lottery said: "The Dream Fund gives charities the chance to try something really innovative and try out new ideas that can make a real difference to communities. The successful projects all have a fantastic focus on the environment and to getting people involved.

"We look forward to working with our winning charities and to seeing the benefits that these great projects bring in Merseyside, Manchester and Scotland too."

The winners were announced last night at People's Postcode Lottery's annual Charity Gala at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh. The event was attended by representatives from charities currently supported by players of People's Postcode Lottery. Special guest Dame Ellen McArthur delivered a keynote speech on her own charity, the Ellen McArthur Cancer Trust.