A Lancashire-based sports charity, that plans to develop a new programme establishing social health hubs in the heart of local communities, is celebrating after receiving more than £150,000 from The National Lottery Community Fund.
Fleetwood Town Community Trust is one of 62 organisations in Lancashire, doing vital work with communities, to receive a share of over £2 million in funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest funder of community activity in the UK.
The new project, Be Active Stay Healthy (BASH) is an initiative designed specifically for residents aged 18+ and will be hosted in the most in-need locations throughout the local borough of Wyre.
Each hub aims to create a welcoming environment based on mutual respect and support, making participants feel valued, safe and able to develop new friendship groups.
A range of activities, such as yoga and boxercise will be readily available on a weekly basis to give local people the platform to improve their own physical and mental health.
The initiative will also support people with health conditions and those that suffer with mental health concerns, with an important part of the project to address not just physical issues, but aspects of social isolation and loneliness. This was a key finding when the group delivered their ‘Walk and Talk initiative’ during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A participant of the Walk and Talk project said: “I have enjoyed the Walk & Talk for so many reasons, it is a fantastic idea which has helped me through the darkness of losing my darling husband, I’ve met so many lovely people who love to chat and laugh like myself but also people who care and want to help each other.”
John Hartley, Deputy Chief Executive Officer at Fleetwood Town Community Trust, said about the new funding: “The funding will allow the Trust to continue its positive engagement with its local community, providing a range of health and wellbeing activities, from Yoga to Boxercise where residents will improve their mental and physical health.
“Thank you to National Lottery players, as this funding will allow thousands of local people to access regular physical activity provision, giving them an opportunity to frequently meet with like-minded people and develop great social networks, in a period which has been incredibly difficult for many.”
Gillian Halliwell, Head of Regional Funding for the North West at The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “Thanks to National Lottery players and the hard work and dedication of local projects, like Fleetwood Town Community Trust, this funding will make a big difference to people’s lives within the borough of Wyre. We’re delighted that our funding is being used to strengthen communities and provide people with the tools and support they need to prosper and thrive.”
Lancashire isn’t alone in benefiting from National Lottery funding. Today it was announced that almost more than £65 million has been awarded to almost 2,000 projects in England in the past three months.
National Lottery players raise over £30 million each week across the UK for good causes. The National Lottery Community Fund as a distributor ensures a share of this funding goes straight to communities, helping them to tackle important issues such as supporting young people into employment, mental health, and climate action. To find out more visit www.TNLCommunityFund.org.uk