Children in Need funding for local group

BBC Children in Need has announced that it has awarded a new grant of £13,387 to a local project working with disadvantaged children and young people in Ballymena.

The grant has been allocated through the charity’s Small Grants Programme.

Portglenone Enterprise Group will use the grant, over three years, to deliver a three-week summer scheme to disadvantaged children and young people in the area.

The summer scheme will give the young people the opportunity to take part in various activities including team building, outdoor pursuits, arts, crafts, music, dance and drama.

The activities will help to improve their physical and emotional health and wellbeing, encourage them to develop new skills and enable them to build friendships whilst reducing isolation over the summer holidays.

Nora O’Neill, Community Development Worker at Portglenone Enterprise Group, said: “We’re delighted to have been awarded this new funding which means we are able to run our summer scheme for the next three years and provide fun and engaging opportunities for children and young people in our community.”

Speaking of the new grant, Fionnuala Walsh, National Head of Northern Ireland at BBC Children in Need, said: “It’s always a real pleasure to award new grants to projects like Portglenone Enterprise Group in Ballymena, which demonstrates how our small grants programme makes a positive difference to children and young people’s lives.

“Both of our grant programmes are open to applications and I’d encourage anyone who is working with disadvantaged children and young people and looking for funding, to apply.”

BBC Children in Need’s Chief Executive, Simon Antrobus added: “Thanks to our generous supporters, our Small Grants programme can and does make a significant and lasting impact on young lives. Each project will go on to make a positive and lasting difference to the lives of disadvantaged children and young people in the heart of local communities up and down the UK, so thank you for making these grants possible.”

Across County Antrim, BBC Children in Need is currently funding 25 projects to a value of £1.2million. To date the UK public has raised over £1 billion across the UK.