People’s Lottery millions up for grabs for London communities

The People’s Millions 2010 competition opens its doors today for projects in the ITV London region to put in their bids to receive up to £50,000 from the Big Lottery Fund (BIG).

It is the sixth year of The People’s Millions competition, allowing communities across ITV London to improve facilities or get more enjoyment from their local area.

Five bumper Big Lottery Fund grants are on offer in ITV London, with a total of £250,000 to be awarded to community projects in the region.

The People’s Millions, a partnership between the Big Lottery Fund (BIG) and ITV, aims to improve communities across the UK and gives the public the chance to vote on which local projects should receive Lottery good-cause funding.

Shortlisted projects will be showcased on local ITV evening news where they will have to convince the public why they need the cash. It will then be up to the public to vote for groups to win the funding.

To date the contest has awarded more than £1.3 million in grants in the ITV London region, funding a wide range of community projects from the creation of a wildlife reserve and a community clean up to a mobile music training facility and transforming a slipway into the Thames.

Debbie Pippard, Head of the London region at the Big Lottery Fund, said: “BIG and ITV are calling on people to come forward and take part in this year’s contest. It’s a brilliant chance for local groups and organisations to get funding for a project that will really make a difference to their communities.”

This year a new streamlined online entry form will mean that applying to the contest will be even simpler. Entry forms are available from 10 March at www.peoplesmillions.org.uk. Entries need to be returned to the Big Lottery Fund by the deadline, 12 noon on Friday 14 May 2010.

ITV London presenter Katie Derham, said: “The People’s Millions make such a difference to the lives of our viewers through transforming communities and improving people’s surroundings. We’re delighted it is back for another year.”

ITV London presenter Matt Teale added: “Every year we get to hand over funding to so many deserving causes across London. So, if you know of a way to improve your local area that will make a real difference to people I would urge you to take this opportunity to apply to The People’s Millions – this year it could be your project receiving the funding.”

Watch Peter Wanless on the GMTV sofa to launch The People’s Millions 2010.

Further Information

For more information please call: Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 020 7211 1888
Out of Hours contact: 07867 500 572

Full details of Big Lottery Fund programmes and grant awards are available at: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk

Notes to Editors

• 75 awards are up for grabs across the UK – four awards and one bonus award in each of the 15 ITV regions
  ITV Anglia, ITV Border, ITV Central, ITV Granada, ITV London, ITV Meridian (East of the region), ITV Meridian (West of the region), ITV Tyne Tees, ITV West, ITV Westcountry, ITV Yorkshire, stv Central, stv North, UTV

• Since the launch of People’s Millions in 2005, the aim of the contest has been to fund projects that improve the quality of life of local communities through transforming the local environment.
• New and existing voluntary or community organisations, schools, local authorities and health bodies are all eligible to apply.
• Telephone voting numbers – As with previous years, ITV and the Big Lottery Fund will use a low cost telephone number. ITV and Big do not make a profit from the voting telephone numbers.
• The Big Lottery Fund (BIG) is the largest distributor of National Lottery good cause funding responsible for giving out half the money raised for good causes by the National Lottery.
• BIG is committed to bringing real improvements to communities and the lives of people most in need and has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK since June 2004. The Fund was formally established by Parliament on 1 December 2006.
• Since the National Lottery began in 1994, 28p from every pound spent by the public has gone to good causes. As a result, over £24 billion has now been raised and more than 317,500 grants awarded across arts, sport, heritage, charities, health, education and the environment.