Blaenau Gwent Domestic Abuse Services needs your vote this week as it goes head to head with other Lottery-funded projects from across the UK in the semi-finals of The National Lottery Awards 2010.
The National Lottery Awards are an annual search to find the UK’s favourite Lottery-funded projects, and the organisation is the only Welsh project in the Best Voluntary/Charity Project category in association with Woman magazine. All the projects in the running have already received Lottery funding and the Awards celebrate how they have put that money to good use. People in Blaenau Gwent are being urged to show their support by casting a vote to help the organisation make it through to the final stage.
The winning project in each of the seven categories will receive national recognition on a star-studded BBC 1 TV show later this year and, in addition to the Lottery funding they have already been awarded, will receive a £2,000 cash prize1 to spend on their project.
Blaenau Gwent Domestic Abuse Services provides a range of support and information to anyone in the region affected by domestic abuse. This is provided through emotional support and group programmes incorporating relaxation and acupuncture, with a clear focus on client safety throughout. Lottery funding has helped the organisation to employ more staff to support people in Blaenau Gwent.
Catherine James, Project Manager of Blaenau Gwent Domestic Abuse Services, says: “We’re delighted to have reached the semi-finals of The National Lottery Awards. Lottery funding has helped us to employ someone to develop our victim rehabilitation programme and someone to work with young people who have been affected by domestic abuse. Both roles are absolutely critical in reaching out to people affected by domestic abuse and we wouldn’t be able to help people in the same way without this funding. We’re really hoping the public gets behind us and votes as it would be fantastic to get national recognition for the work that we do.”
This year’s National Lottery Awards are supported by Fay Ripley who attended last year’s Awards show, which was screened on BBC1. She says: “Lottery players raise £25 million every week, which funds projects and organisations that are making a real difference to people and communities across Wales and the rest of the UK. The National Lottery Awards recognise the amazing talent and hard work of the people involved in running Lottery-funded projects, so please get behind your local project and vote to give them your support.”
About The National Lottery Awards
The National Lottery Awards recognise the difference that Lottery-funded projects – both big and small – make to local communities, and celebrate the achievements of the people behind them. The Awards have seven categories – each reflecting an area of Lottery funding: sport; heritage; arts; environment; education; health (in association with iVillage.co.uk) and voluntary/charity (in association with Woman magazine).
Voting for the semi-finals starts at 9am on Tuesday 1 June and ends at midday on Friday 18 June. To cast a vote for Blaenau Gwent Domestic Abuse Services call 0844 686 5256 or log on to www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk/awards
The three projects in each category with the highest number of votes will go through to the final round of public voting in July.
