DEBSS wants your vote for £50,000 of lottery funding

A local community group in Bournemouth is hoping for your vote to secure £50,000 of National Lottery funding as part of this year’s People’s Projects. The DEBSS Project, which is based in Bournemouth and which supports disabled people to explore self-employment, is one of five groups in Meridian West in the running for a share of up to £150,000 of funding.

Now in its 13th year, the Big Lottery Fund, ITV and The National Lottery are teaming up to give the public a chance to decide how National Lottery funding should be put to good use in their local area.

Designed to celebrate some of the incredible projects the Big Lottery Fund has supported over the past year, 95 community-based schemes are now shortlisted across the UK. In each region, the three with the most public votes will receive grants of up to £50,000. This will help them to continue their work to improve local people’s lives. The entire amount up for grabs across the UK is a life-changing £3 million.

On Monday 16  of April, the SAMEE Charity will showcase its project, DEBSS on Meridian West ITV regional news at 6pm. To be in with a chance of winning, the SAMEE charity is calling on viewers to support its bid. Voting opens at 9am on Monday 16 April at www.thepeoplesprojects.org.uk.

If successful, DEBSS will use the grant to help more disabled people take control of their lives by starting their own business.

Sam Cockcroft-Oliver, chief executive of the charity said, “This is an exciting opportunity to raise awareness and support for our work and, with your help, to secure further much-needed funding. We urge local people to get behind us. If successful, our project will make a real difference to our local community by helping many more disabled people gain independence.”

Joe Ferns, UK Funding Director of the Big Lottery Fund, said, “As the largest funder of community activity in the UK, we are proud to support grassroots groups that are using the vision, determination and drive of local people to strengthen communities. The People’s Projects showcases the best of these and is a chance for you to have your say on how National Lottery funding can benefit your local community.”

Since 2005, around £39 million has been awarded through the Big Lottery Fund, National Lottery and ITV/STV partnership to 865 good causes across the UK.