People in Staffordshire are being called on to nominate their favourite Lottery-funded project for recognition in The National Lottery Awards 2011.
In the last year alone, almost £8 million of Lottery funding has been invested in good causes in Staffordshire and now The National Lottery is encouraging these projects, and any organisation that has received Lottery funding over the past 16 years, to enter the Awards and gain national recognition for their work.
Rebecca Gowrley of The National Lottery Awards says: “These Awards are the annual search to find the UK’s favourite Lottery-funded projects. Lottery players raise £28 million every week for projects both large and small, which benefit people, places and communities all across the UK. The National Lottery Awards recognise how Lottery-funded projects put that money to good use and celebrate the people behind the projects who work so tirelessly to make their organisations a success.
“If a Lottery-funded project has had a positive impact on your local area, made a real difference to your life or if you are personally involved with a project that is transforming your community, we want to hear from you.”
The entrants that make it to the finals of The National Lottery Awards will receive national recognition at a star-studded event broadcast on BBC One later this year. They will also have a chance to win a £2000 cash prize.
The National Lottery Awards have seven categories - each reflecting an area of Lottery funding: Sport; Heritage; Arts; Environment; Health; Education; and Voluntary/Charity.
If you want to see a project from Staffordshire celebrated in this year’s National Lottery Awards, visit www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk to find out more or call 0207 960 6828. The Awards are now open for entries and any projects wishing to enter can do so by visiting the website. Entries must be received by 5pm on Friday 18 February.
For further information please contact:
Laura Leveson at the National Lottery Promotions Unit on 020 7211 3932 or email laura.leveson@lotterygoodcauses.org.uk
• The winning project in each category will receive national recognition at a star-studded event broadcast on BBC One later in the year. Winning projects also receive a £2,000 cash prize to spend on their project. This is in addition to the Lottery funding they have already received
• Now in their eighth year, The National Lottery Awards recognise and celebrate the difference that Lottery-funded projects – both large and small - make to communities across the UK, and celebrate the difference that the people behind them are making
• Any Lottery-funded project or organisation is eligible to enter the Awards
• Projects that are nominated must complete The National Lottery Awards 2011 entry form to be eligible
• The National Lottery Awards opened for entries at 9am on Monday 10 January 2011. The deadline for entries is 5pm on Friday 18 February
• Shortlisted projects will compete in two rounds of public voting later in the year to determine the winner. All voting will be independently verified
• Photographs of last year’s Award winners and the Awards show are available on request
• Since The National Lottery began in 1994, Lottery players have raised over £25 billion for Good Causes and over 350,000 grants have been awarded across the UK
• For more information about projects funded by The National Lottery or The National Lottery Awards visit www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk
* Figures based on financial year running 1 April 2009 – 31 March 2010
* The £2000 is a cash prize for winners to spend on their project; it is not a Lottery grant
