UK: youth-led initiatives receive lottery funding

The grants are part of the last round of funding under the Young People’s Fund’s Grants to Organisations strand, which has given out £40 million to voluntary and community groups across England. One of the eleven projects to benefit is Food4Thought – an initiative in Pontefract that will use an allotment site donated by the local council to grow fruit, vegetables and herbs and promote healthy eating amongst young people. The project will also look at the possibility of selling surplus produce and plants, and other social enterprise options such as setting up a gardening service. Young people aged 13 to 18 years old in deprived areas of York will also be developing their own environmental projects with the help of a £145,695 grant to BTCV – an environmental charity. The young people will identify projects within their local communities and will be guided through the process of planning, developing and implementing their projects by BTCV and youth group staff. Rachel Earnshaw, Community Education Project Officer from BTCV York said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for the young people of York who are keen to get stuck in and develop their own environmental projects. The funding will help BTCV to introduce York’s youth to the individual and community benefits of volunteering while supporting their personal development through awards and training.” www.biglotteryfund.org.uk