DUNGANNON YOUNGSTERS ENJOY LOTTERY WINDFALL FROM THE BIG DEAL Dungannon young ladies are today celebrating a Big Lottery Fund windfall from its Big Deal Small Grants Programme.

The good news marks a new milestone for the programme which has now handed out over £950,000 to more than 400 projects working with around 16,000 children and young people across Northern Ireland.

The Big Deal Small Grants Programme, administered by Youthnet, was set up in 2006 and funded to the tune of £1 million by the Big Lottery Fund.

The programme allows those up to 25 years of age to apply for an award between £500 and £2,500 towards a project where they get to decide what it is they want to do, when, where and how!

Clonmore Gaelic Football Club, near Dungannon received £2,400 for its Improving Skills project. The purpose of the grant is to allow the older members of the Clonmore GFC to set up an under 10s team. Last year the club formed a Ladies Football Team and The Big Deal funding helped them with develop their coaching. Four teenage girls who completed the training as coaches went on to submit this application for the younger members of the club. Part of the grant will pay for equipment for the young players, some for team building and the rest for pitch hire.

Rosemary Trainor, 24, one of The Big Deal Children and Young People’s Forum grant panel members, said: “The best thing about The Big Deal projects is that young people show the initiative, interest and enthusiasm to plan their own project and apply for the money to carry it out. This is a new way of young people getting money from the Big Lottery Fund and it’s an exciting way for young people to have responsibility and make good use of it.”

The Big Deal Project Officer, Niamh O’Carolan, said: “On the face of it £500 to £2,500 doesn’t sound like a huge amount of money but we know from previous experience that small grants like these going to directly to young people will make a big difference. The big bonus is that once children and young people become engaged in activities like these they tend to stay interested and get involved more in what’s going on around them in their local communities and beyond.”

She continued: “There’s been a good response to the programme from most of Northern Ireland but we want to ensure that young people from all areas get the opportunity to apply for financial support to put their ideas into operation.


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