Celebrations for 4 Bridgend groups with grants of over £350k

Four Bridgend based groups have begun the festive season with early celebrations after hearing they have been successful in getting grants totalling £384,185.00 from the Big Lottery Fund. Grants are available thanks to people playing the National Lottery. 

The largest of the four grants, for nearly quarter of a million pounds, was awarded to The Wild Plant Conservation Charity, Plantlife International.  They successfully applied for a £247,500 grant which they will use to empower local people, building confidence and capacity, create new partnerships and connect with existing activities programmes to enable more people to get involved and take ownership of local green spaces in Bridgend. Activities will include creating a ‘Green Network’, providing training to existing volunteers, working closely with partners to support new volunteers, create and trial new wellbeing activities and support the development of local wellbeing ambassadors and green space guardians.  Colin Cheesman, the Head of Plantlife Cymru welcomed the grant saying: 

 “We are delighted to receive funding from the Big Lottery for the Green Links Bridgend project. Over the next 4 years, the project will celebrate Bridgend’s natural heritage, from the sand dunes at Kenfig to the wildlife of Tremains Wood, including rare orchids, spectacular bluebells and a host of mammals, birds and bugs. Getting involved in nature is great for your health and well-being and we hope this project will bring benefits to the people of Bridgend and south Wales. We’d like to thank  National Lottery players for their support.”

Bridgend Carers Centre received £96,921.00 to work with young carers (5 – 25 years) to improve their educational attainment and employment prospects.  The Centre will organise one to one and group sessions for young carers, aiming to reduce the number of young adult carers becoming NEET (not in education, employment or training). The young carers will work with the Centre to deliver awareness raising sessions in primary and secondary schools for peers and staff through assemblies and they will be supported to develop their own young carers group. Schools that have developed internal policies and good practices around supporting for young carers will be awarded with accreditation.  over three years will fund salaries, training, travel expenses, marketing, overheads including management fees. Rhian Bennett, Project Manager said

“We are so grateful to have received the grant for our ‘Young Carers Education Project’. This project will make a huge difference to the lives of young carers in Bridgend by raising awareness and providing more support for young carers in schools. The lack of support in schools for young carers can have a detrimental effect on their lives which is why we are so happy we now have the funds we need to change this and give young carers the support they need to reach their potential.”

S.T.E.E.R – The Enterprise Academy in Bridgend successfully applied for a grant for £9,954  to develop the forest nursery/school at their 37 acre Resource and Wellbeing Centre, to support children, young people and their families, who live with multiple complex needs. Tracey Miles, CEO responded saying 

“The Enterprise Academy is thrilled to have received funding for the development of a forest nursery/school at our Resource and Wellbeing Centre, Tondu House Farm, a unique 37 acre centre that includes 14 acres of historical woodlands.  This is an exciting new initiative for Bridgend, aim ed at supporting children, youth and families through the ethos of forest school principals.STEER’s highly qualified staff will provide different ways of learning in an exciting outdoor classroom environment that develops creativity and resilience through a wide range of play and learning activities.”

Wildmill Youth Club in Bridgend successfully applied for a £2,810 grant to bring people together and build strong relationships in and across communities by taking children, young people and their families on trips and providing workshops through the school half term holidays. 

S.T.E.E.R

The full list of all 63 grants awarded in Wales this month is in the news section of our website links.