Brockwell Infants School will use its £9,681 to build an adventure playground for pupils to use during playtimes and after school. The pupils asked for a new play area and, thanks to the Awards for All grant, they can look forward to exploring and playing on a large painted wooden train, a tyre park, a fun trail and some seating in the shape of mushrooms.
Emma Bently, Acting Head Teacher, said:
“We are delighted about the grant and the opportunities the playground will offer our children. At the moment they have a grass area and a standard playground with markings on the floor, but soon they will have an area where they can have fun and relax at the same time.
“The school has a Badger Club, comprising 12 children made up of two representatives from each class, and a new, exciting play area was something they have been asking for, but it would have taken us years to raise funds for it. Now the children are involved in planning and ordering the equipment, and will see this project through from beginning to end. We hope this new adventure playground will encourage the children to keep fit and active within their school breaks, which in turn will help with their progress in the classroom."
Also celebrating is North Derbyshire Stroke Support Group, using a £9,426 grant to turn half-day monthly activities into weekly sessions for its 60 members. The group, based at Cleargrass Day Hospital, helps people come to terms with having a stroke and encourages their members to take part in a range of activities such as art classes, swimming and fishing, as well as creating and sustaining a greenhouse.
Alan Starbuck, Treasurer, said:
“The support group offers help and advice for anyone who has had a stroke and the changes to their lifestyles they face as a result. Many people find it difficult to continue daily life and many therefore stay at home.
“Our group gives people the opportunity to get out of the house, learn new skills and build friendships with others who are in the same situation. With the help of Awards for All, we are able to turn these monthly sessions into weekly activities, providing those who have had a stroke with the opportunity to work with specialists and participate in a wide range of activities they may otherwise not have the chance to do.”
Awards for All is the small grants scheme administered by the Big Lottery Fund on behalf of Lottery good cause funders, Arts Council England, Big Lottery Fund, Heritage Lottery Fund and Sport England. The scheme makes awards of between £300 and £10,000 to grass-roots community groups and voluntary organisations.
Mick McGrath, Big Lottery Fund Head of the East Midlands Region, said on behalf of the Awards for All funders:
“These projects mean a great deal to people across Derbyshire. Whether it’s a new playground for children or extra support activities for those people with ill health, these projects make such a difference to the local community. I am delighted they are part of the 40 awards given in the East Midlands, sharing almost £320,000 of Lottery grants this month alone.”
For a full list of award recipients visit: Awardsforall website.
Following a review of the Awards for All England programme, changes will be made to the existing format of the small grants scheme in March 2009. From 1 April 2009 each of the lottery good cause distributors supporting the scheme will run their own individual small grants programmes. Applications can still be made under the current Awards For All scheme arrangements until 31 March 2009.
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