The National Lottery Awards

The Brindley was set up to meet the need for an accessible community arts centre and theatre in Halton, in England's north west. Lottery funding contributed towards the construction of a 424-seat theatre, a 108 seat studio space, an arts education room, music rehearsal space, darkroom, digital imaging room, a gallery, and a cafe and bar. The Brindley's purpose-built facilities provide the opportunity to continually raise the artistic skill level of the people in the local area, and to bring an ongoing sense of community.

Rumbles Catering Project enables people with learning difficulties to achieve NVQ catering qualifications, and to gain work experience in a realistic environment. The project runs a community café in Clipstone, East Midlands, which is serviced by participants of the scheme.
Lottery funding has been used to cover salaries for three staff, along with start-up equipment and a minibus.
"The reward for the individual is to be part of something positive, real and of long-term benefit," said Gina Docan, Business and Training Manager.

The National Botanic Garden of Wales was set up to restore the original, but rundown, 500-acre Regency estate, and develop it into a viable world-class national botanic garden, dedicated to the research and conservation of biodiversity. Lottery funding has enabled the innovative renovation and restoration of the sixteenth century site. Its centrepiece, the Great Glasshouse designed by Norman Foster, was recently voted the top Modern Wonder of Wales by readers of the Western Mail newspaper.

Exercise For All was set up by Chief Executive John Coupe, after he suffered a heart attack and found there was no continuing rehabilitation following his stay in hospital. The Rehabilitation and Support Centre now helps disabled people or those recovering or suffering from major illness to cope with their condition, manage their health and improve their lifestyle with support and more social interaction.
Lottery funding was spent on refurbishing the Support Centre and buying new equipment, as well as funding staff salaries.

The Battle of the Somme was one of the largest battles of the First World War, and resulted in more than one million casualties. The Old Vic Theatre and The Imperial War Museum joined forces to create Somme Theatre to raise awareness of the battle and educate people about the events of the First World War. This project bought together over 100 volunteers, aged 13-70, from secondary schools and community groups.
Lottery funding covered the cost of staging a play about the Battle of the Somme, entitled 'On The Middle Day' ensuring that 1,500 people could see a professional theatre production for free.

Fit@sixty aims to encourage older people in Bedford to participate in leisure activities on a weekly basis, to improve their health and sense of wellbeing. While there is greater national awareness than ever before of the importance of physical activity to maintain health and wellbeing, the needs of older people are often neglected.
Lottery funding has been used to buy equipment and to cover the cost of activity sessions, travel and promotional materials. Currently, 17 classes run each week across a number of retirement housing schemes throughout Bedford, and many participants are in their 80s and 90s.

The project, developed by RNIB (the national charity for blind and partially sighted people), is an innovative way for people with sight loss to come together to overcome isolation, forge meaningful friendships, share information, support each other and have fun.
Lottery funding has helped set-up telephone groups, so that a small number of blind and partially sighted people could socialise via their telephones from the comfort of their own home.
The telephone groups are sometimes the only contact that the participants have, and they enjoy the phone call as part of their weekly routine. Many find it difficult to leave the home, so the ongoing support they receive from their telefriends and volunteers is invaluable.