By John Connell

Last updated at 13:59, Thursday, 15 November 2012

A Cumbrian charity has benefited from a £126,000 grant which will help support its volunteers.

The East Cumbria Family Support Association is one of 10 projects in the north west sharing just under £2 million from the Big Lottery Fund (Big) Reaching Communities programme.

The money will go towards the salaries of two family support co-ordinators and a chief officer.

Sarah Craig, a family support co-ordinator for Eden, said: “It will be used to support our volunteers who are matched with families under pressure throughout Carlisle and Eden”.

“We are absolutely delighted to receive this funding.

“It has been increasingly difficult to gain funding in the current economic climate and we are ecstatic that the Reaching Communities programme have seen fit to fund our valuable work.”

The organisation’s trained volunteers and family support workers visit families in their own homes providing parenting support, practical help and a listening ear.

Mrs Craig added that the organisation needed more volunteers, especially in Eden.

Meanwhile a project to improve the physical and mental well-being of older people around Liverpool has won a grant of more than £100,000.

Nationally, 47 projects are sharing more than £10m, as the National Lottery prepares to mark its 18th anniversary.

Bolton Young Persons Housing Scheme has received £277,288 to target homelessness among the young, and in Warrington the Church of England Children’s Society secured £280,627 for a new project to improve the well-being and resilience of young people and families in Longford.

The largest grant has been awarded to Singleton (Fylde) Village Hall, which will use its award of £345,969 to refurbish the hall.

Helen Bullough, Big’s head of north west region said: “National Lottery funding doesn’t just help large organisations but makes a huge difference to projects run by a handful of people.”

First published at 13:40, Thursday, 15 November 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk