Volunteers from Park View Cafe host a tea party with a difference

New figures out today reveal that since the Lottery began in 1994, over £8.5 million of Lottery funding has been awarded to projects in Wales that support people with learning disabilities. The Park View Café in Cardiff is just one project to have benefited from the 25,500 Lottery grants awarded; it helps local people with learning disabilities to gain vocational skills in catering and customer service.

This training gives them the confidence they need to move on to paid or voluntary work. With 90% of people with a learning disability out of work, they are the most excluded group when it comes to recruitment. Yet research shows that at least 65% of people of working age with a learning disability want to work, and that they are keen, reliable, effective employees when they get the chance to prove themselves.

Volunteers from Park View Café in Cardiff wanted to thank Lottery players for the £25 million a week they raise for Good Causes projects. To highlight the difference the £226,277 they’ve received has made, they have put the finishing touches to a giant 1.5 metre-squared ‘Lottery ball’ shaped cake, which will then be shared with café regulars and the local community.

“We wanted to say thank you to Lottery players for the funding that makes a real difference to us here and to all those with learning disabilities and mental health issues in Wales and around the UK,” says Rosie Cribb, Fundraising and Development Manager. “Here people can benefit from the training on offer at the café, which equips them with skills, self-esteem and confidence that helps them in the wider world.”

Mandy, aged 34, from Cardiff has both a learning disability and mental health problems, and has been training at the café for nearly two years. In this time her confidence has grown hugely, she has made some fantastic friends and has found stability in her life. Mandy comments, “I love coming to the café. I’m always learning new things from how to work in a team, to how to cook food that’s healthy in a safe way.”

Aerwyn, also from Cardiff, previously trained at Park View Café and is now a regular volunteer and team trainer. Whilst at Park View he has earned an OCN certificate in catering and shares his skills and recipes with the rest of the team. In the last year alone, over £96 million of Lottery funding has been invested in arts, sports, heritage, education, environment, health, charity and voluntary projects across Wales. The spectacular giant cake is part of a UK-wide roadshow, which aims to bring to life the diverse range of people and projects that benefit from Lottery funding.

Giant Lottery balls will be popping up at various locations around Wales this week, so people can see a few more examples of how Lottery funding benefits their area. Look out for them at Wales National Pool in Swansea, Cardiff Castle, Venue Cymru in Llandudno and The Riverfront in Newport.

Jackie Aplin from The National Lottery explains: “We think it’s important that Lottery players know about all the fantastic projects, both in their area and across Wales, that are made possible thanks to the money they help raise each week. We hope that Mandy and Aerwyn’s experiences at Park View and the inflatable Lottery balls at projects across the country will help make people more aware of how Lottery funding has benefited their local community.”

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Facts you might not know about the Lottery:

1. Each week Lottery players raise £25 million for Good Causes across the UK

2. Last year alone, more than £96 million was invested in projects in Wales

3. More than 25,000 grants have been awarded to projects both big and small in Wales since the Lottery began

4. The Lottery is 15 this year! The first Lottery draw was on 19 November 1994

5. Since its launch in 1994 more than £22 billion has been raised for Good Causes

6. Over 300,000 Lottery grants have been given out across the arts, sport, heritage, charities, health, education and the environment since 1994. But they all have one thing in common, they make a positive difference to communities across the region, helping the lives of local people and improving the places they enjoy

7. Over half of all Lottery grants are for under £5,000, helping local projects make a big difference to people in their communities

8. Since the Lottery began in 1994, over £1 billion has been raised for projects that support people’s health and wellbeing

9. A total of 436 Olympic and Paralympic medals have been won by athletes funded by the Lottery, with Beijing 2008 being Team GB’s best medal haul for 100 years

10. Over £10 billion of National Lottery funding has gone to projects that benefit children and young people.

To find out how to apply for National Lottery funding, visit: www.lotteryfunding.org.uk or call 0845 275 0000.

For more information/photography please contact: Sarah Johnston on 020 7025 6537/07966 769770 or email: sarah.Johnston@redconsultancy.com