£14million National Lottery cash boost

More than £14million of National Lottery funding was invested in Sunderland last year.

In total, 55 National Lottery grants were awarded on Wearside to help arts, sports and heritage projects as well as community groups helping those most in need.

Projects which received National Lottery funding last year, included:

for the North Sea Tall Ships Regatta cultural programme;

to Pennywell Neighbourhood Centre for a health and wellbeing skills programme to support olderpeoplewhoarelonelyand isolated;

to Sunderland MIND for a mentoring and befriending service for people with mental health issues.

To enter your favourite project in this year’s National Lottery Awards, tweet @LottoGoodCauses with your suggestions or call 0207 293 3329. Entries by midnight on April 6.

Any organisation that has ever received National Lottery funding, can now enter The National Lottery Awards 2018 – the annual search for the UK’s favourite Lottery-funded projects.

National Lottery Awards winners’ will receive a £5,000 cash prize and national recognition at a glittering ceremony broadcast on BBC One later in the year.

Projects can be nominated for a National Lottery Award in seven categories; Arts, Education, Environment, Health, Heritage, Sport and Voluntary/Charity to reflect the breadth of funding that the National Lottery invests in.

To enter your favourite project in this year’s National Lottery Awards, tweet @LottoGoodCauses with your suggestions or call 0207 293 3329. Entries must be received by midnight on April 6.