Five Winning Dream Fund Projects Announced

01 February 2012

Winning is a "Dream Come True" for Scottish Charities

Jo Bucci and Annemiek Hoogenboom presenting representatives of John Muir Trust's Wild Space project with a cheque for £50,000

Five inspirational Scottish projects are celebrating this week, after being announced as winners of the People's Postcode Lottery Dream Fund. The projects will share funding support of over £340,000. The funding was raised entirely by players of People's Postcode Lottery in Scotland. 

WWF Scotland, The Waterways Trust Scotland and Alzheimer Scotland have received funding from the Dream Fund to bring their ‘dream projects’ to life. Projects from the Ecology Centre and John Muir Trust both received part funding.

Waterways Trust Scotland has been awarded £100,000 to make their unique watersports centre for young people a reality. The interactive watersports centre will be based in the heart of Glasgow and will be available to all ages.

WWF Scotland was announced as another big Dream Fund winner. Their funding will bring a mobile ‘food truck’ to life. This travelling project aims to educate and inspire people to get involved with local produce.

Alzheimer Scotland also received a cheque to the value of £75,852 for their 'Football Reminiscence Project'.  The programme will run across Scotland and will train volunteers to use historical football nostalgia to stimulate memories.

The judges chose an additional two projects – John Muir Trust's ‘Wild Space’ project and the Ecology Centre's ‘Mobile Outdoor Classroom’ – to receive part funding totalling £76,589.

Mike Small, Director of The Fife Diet, which will develop The Seed Truck project in partnership with WWF Scotland said; “We are delighted and honoured, it’s really a dream come true. We look forward to an amazing year ahead where we'll be able to sow the seed of a sustainable food system across the whole of Scotland."

Jo Bucci, Managing Director of People's Postcode Lottery also said; “Once again we have been overwhelmed by our winning projects. They all offer something totally unique for the country in both passion and creativity. We are proud that at a time when funding opportunities are becoming increasingly thin, we are, thanks to our growing number of players, able to offer another new opportunity for the sector.”

The winners were announced last night at People's Postcode Lottery's annual Charity Gala at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. The Lottery also announced that the players have so far raised over £16.3 Million for charities and good causes across Great Britain. The 14 charities that our players support were presented with their cheques for funds raised in 2011.