Big Lottery funding boost for the region’s communities

The voluntary and community sector in North Devon and Torridge has received a huge boost with National Lottery funding of nearly half a million pounds to continue and expand its work over the next three years.

The joint bid submitted by North Devon Voluntary Services (NDVS) and TTVS in Torridge was successful in gaining £464,436 to help fund three community developer roles in each district.

The community developers go out in the community to assist and encourage various projects such as health and wellbeing or support initiatives to help create a healthy, happier and more prosperous community.

These could be anything from walking groups to dementia support, health advice and food education or culture projects - anything that helps to improve the lives of people living in the area.

As well as maintaining current efforts it is hoped this funding will enable then to reach more areas of the community and give a voice to people who aren’t always heard.

Both NDVS and TTVS are charities that support and advise voluntary and community organisations across the area, working in partnership with One Northern Devon, plus Northern Devon Futures and the likes of Live Well in Braunton.

Above: Community developers work with groups to help establish all manner of beneficial activities, such as walking group sessions. Credit: One Northern Devon

Marie Gould, chief officer of NDVS, said the funding would help them to prove how effective the community development programme was and it was also hoped to secure long-term funding to keep it going.

She said funding was difficult to find each year and although One Northern Devon had been funding the community developers, the money had been about to run out.

So she and the then chief officer of TTVS, Simone Thompson, approached the National Lottery Community Fund.

Marie added: “This will work on the model of One Communities promoted by OND but will go ‘deeper, darker and wider’ to do more, to reach the hidden community and the quiet voices, to find out what we don’t know about their needs and also to cover the rural parishes.

“What we’re trying to do is learn and prove that community development carried out effectively makes a difference to quality of lives, especially when we are on restricted resources.

“There’s so much going on out there in the community and we are there to connect people up.”

Beki Sharples, CEO at TTVS, added: “All at TTVS feel incredibly fortunate to be able to realise our plans for community development here in Torridge, and across North Devon in partnership with NDVS.

“Plus all who work tirelessly towards our overall aim to create happy, prosperous, healthy communities, living, supporting, growing and working as one – creating social and community value for a better quality of life.

“We would like to convey our huge thanks and appreciation to The National Lottery Community Fund for their belief in our vision, and their confidence in our delivery.”

Above: Art sessions as therapy and ways to help people socialise are another example of community activities the Lottery funding might help support through the community developer programme. Credit: One Northern Devon

On behalf of One Northern Devon, James Lander said: “The National Lottery Community Fund will help communities to further unlock their local assets to improve the communities' health and wellbeing, tackle inequality and find ways to help communities connect and thrive.

“Three years of funding allows for longer-term planning, increased staff security, and supports communities that want to work together on the things that really matter to them - building safer, fairer, more connected and resilient communities.”