TWO Wirral charities have been given a lottery funding boost.
Wirral Change Limited and XRoads Recovery CIC are among 128 projects in the Northwest receiving a share of almost £7m from the Big Lottery Fund.
The £475,812 awarded to Birkenhead-based Wirral Change will be used for a project which focuses on employment and health problems.
The Wirral Change team celebrates news of its Big Lottery boost today. Picture: Paul Heaps
Its team of seventeen helps, on average, 3,000 new people from disadvantaged, minority and ethnic groups across Wirral each year.
The group works in partnership with Wirral Clinical Commissioning Group, Wirral Council and Public Health in delivering its services.
The Lottery funding boost will help it provide emergency advice, one to one and peer support on issues such as mental health, physical health and isolation.
It will also offer information on benefit and entitlement, housing, money management, employment, volunteer and life skills development and practical support.
The group's chief executive Clint Agard told the Globe: "We're fortunate and grateful to the Lottery for this funding. The funding will help us to support 3,000 more people over a three-year period.
"Our main ethos is to empower people and help them - this funding will certainly help us to that."
XRoads Recovery CIC's award of £179,248 will be used for a project providiong accommodation, support and rehabilitation for adult males, and particularly ex-services personnel, suffering from a range of complex health and lifestyle barriers including mental health issues including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, homelessness and those in recovery from substance or alcohol misuse.
The scheme will work to improve mental wellbeing, including confidence building and becoming independent without the use of substances.
The awards have been made through the Big Lottery Fund's Awards for All and Reaching Communities programmes.
Lyn Cole, Big Lottery Fund, England grant-making director, said: “Whether it is supporting homeless people to find accommodation, keeping vulnerable women and children safe, or enabling those with physical and mental illness to gain more confidence and independence, these projects will make a huge difference to the lives of many.
“These projects are excellent examples of people working together to help others in their community including supporting them to attain the skills they need to realise their potential.”
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