People's Millions open for 2010

The People's Millions 2010 competition has opened for projects across the UK to put in their bids to receive up to £50,000 from the Big Lottery Fund (BIG).

It is the sixth year of The People's Millions competition, which is a partnership between the Big Lottery Fund and ITV and provides funding to communities to help them improve facilities or get more enjoyment from their local area.

Seventy-five Big Lottery Fund grants of £50,000 are on offer, with a total of £3.8 million to be awarded to community projects across the UK and communities across Northern Ireland are encouraged to put in their bids to receive up to £50,000 in Lottery funding.

Local people will be able to vote for their favourite project that will help people get more involved in their community and allow them to enjoy their area through a range of activities.

Organisations have until 12 noon on Friday 14 May 2010 to enter the competition. 

UTV viewers will be able to vote on which local community projects they want to win the Lottery good cause funding, when the on-air contest hits TV screens in November.

Peter Wanless, chief executive of the Big Lottery Fund, said:

“BIG and ITV are calling on people to come forward with their brilliant ideas to improve their communities. It’s a unique opportunity to get funding for a special project that you know will make a real difference to the people around you.”

The People's Millions is part of BIG's commitment to involving the public in deciding how Lottery money is spent. Since the launch of People's Millions in 2005, more than £1.3 million has been awarded to 23 projects in Northern Ireland. Previous winners have been using their awards to make their local communities better places to live.

2009 Winners include

• Sensory/Nurturing Project - Cookstown
• Growing Communities - Carrickfergus
• Our School, our community, our world - Plumbridge
• Enclosed Ball Area - New Mossley, Mewtownabbey
• Sensory Learning Initiative - Newcastle
• Garden of Hope - North Belfast

Entry packs for The People's Millions are available by visiting www.peoplesmillions.org.uk.