The Alnwick Garden in Northumberland has received £350,000 from The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest community funder in the UK, so that it can remain steadfast in its dedication to enriching the local community.
The Alnwick Garden, an established charity organisation, will use the funding over five years to develop a new programme to improve well-being and employment opportunities, entitled ‘Growing Together Northumberland’.
From April 2024, this initiative will work with people over the age of 16 who are not economically active, nor in education, employment, or training to develop their skills and support their progression.
Duncan Nicholson, Head of Funding for the North East & Cumbria at The National Lottery Community Fund said: “We are delighted to support The Alnwick Garden with its Growing Together Northumberland project, which will help participants to build skills, gain volunteering experience and move closer to employment.
“This funding, made possible thanks to National Lottery players, allows us to respond to the needs of local communities. Our funding strengthens society and improves lives across the UK, and we will continue to invest in communities where funding can help projects to have a real impact.”
This helping hand from The National Lottery Community Fund will ensure The Alnwick Garden can remain a garden for all, which already hosts a range of educational and social
programmes, but also extend its reach to the local communities.
Its existing offering includes employability programmes, initiatives for over-55s to reduce social isolation, horticulture programmes for young people with additional needs, and a
range of schemes for young people, focussing on the importance of healthy lifestyles and education around drugs and alcohol.
Claire Mitchell, Strategic Head of Community and Education at The Alnwick Garden, said: “We’d like to thank National Lottery players for making this possible.
“We’re also delighted that The National Lottery Community Fund recognised the importance of investing in Alnwick and Northumberland. Alnwick is not often regarded as having areas of deprivation and can be overlooked for the funding it needs. We are thrilled that this hasn’t been the case in this instance.
“We are, above all, a charity dedicated to helping the local community. Through this funding, we will launch Growing Together Northumberland and continue giving vital support to people across the county.”
Those involved in the scheme will participate in a range of environmental projects, aimed at everything from empowering communities to grow their own produce to educating people about sustainability, reducing waste, and conserving resources.
The initiative will also bring people together across Northumberland to help build bonds
and establish a shared responsibility for the environment across the community.