Partner Article

Local projects join TV battle for People's Millions

Eight community projects across the region are in the running to win a £50,000 Big Lottery Fund award in the People’s Millions contest to be showcased soon on ITV. The contest will appear on TyneTees televison between 13 and 16 November. Two projects will be screened every night in a head to head battle to win public votes, and viewers in the region can vote via phone and text for the project they think should win the Lottery cash.

This is the second year the Big Lottery Fund and ITV have teamed up to bring viewers across the UK the People’s Millions, giving the public a real say on where lottery funding will go to benefit their community. Up to £15 million in grants will be given out by the Big Lottery Fund under the three year public involvement initiative.

On Monday 13 November, the Audio Signage in Stockton Town project in Stockton-on-Tees will go head to head with the Newbrough and Fourstones Community Play Area project in Newbrough and Fourstones, near Hexham. The following night, Tuesday 14 November, sees the West Hall Bunkhouse project in South Tyneside competing against the Wildlife Education Centre in the village of Woodland, County Durham. On Wednesday 15 November the Coxlodge Waggonway project in Newcastle will be up against the Our Healthy Outdoor Learning Space project in Grangetown, Middlesbrough.

The final vote on Thursday 16 November will see LIFFT - Learning, Including, Families & Friends Together, in Whitley Bay compete against the Wynyard Woodland Park Environmental Trust Project, in Stockton-on-Tees. Winners will be announced across ITV regional news on the day following the vote.

Sir Clive Booth, Chair of the Big Lottery Fund said: “I am delighted that People’s Millions is all set to return to living rooms across the country. With almost 200,000 people taking the opportunity to vote last year, we are hoping for an even bigger response this time around, with more viewers playing a crucial role in deciding where Lottery cash is spent in their community. “Previous voting saw some fantastic projects receiving funding. Many of these are already up and running and proving to be valuable assets in their communities. This year’s competition is bigger and better. Not only do we again have an excellent array of worthwhile projects vying for votes, there is also the added incentive that the runner up with the most votes in each ITV region will win a grant of up to £50,000.”

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

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .