Voluntary Action Orkney awarded £23k

Voluntary Action Orkney (VAO) has been awarded £23,082 from BBC Children in Need, it was announced, today (Tuesday).

The new grant — awarded through the charity’s Main Grants Programme — will go towards a project working with disadvantaged children and young people in Orkney.

The programme will be tailored to each individual and will enable young people to engage with activities, such as healthy cooking and creative arts, which will help to improve their mental and physical health and wellbeing, develop their independence, help them to achieve personal goals and encourage them to reach their full potential.

Children in Need now has more than £193,000 invested in Orkney. This is the first funding allocation of the year, with additional funding to be allocated to projects across the UK throughout 2019.

Lindsey Johnson, project coordinator at Voluntary Action Orkney (VAO) said: “We’re over the moon to hear that we’ve been awarded this funding from BBC Children in Need.

“Living in the islands can pose various challenges for the young people that live here and they can often feel isolated. With this programme we’ll be able to deliver activities that will raise their aspirations for the future and improve their health and wellbeing.”

Speaking of the new grant, Florence Burke, national head of Scotland at BBC Children in Need said: “We are delighted to fund the work of Voluntary Action Orkney (VAO) and look forward to seeing the difference that this grant will make to children and young people across the remote islands.”

BBC Children in Need’s chief executive, Simon Antrobus added: “As always, thanks must go to our generous supporters and fundraisers — we are only able to make these much-needed awards because of them.  Each project will go on to make a positive impact on the lives of disadvantaged children and young people in communities across the UK who really do need our help, so thank you for making these grants possible.’

BBC Children in Need awards grants at six points during the year and funds two types of grants, both of which are open to new or existing applicants. A Main Grants Programme is for grants over £10,000 per year to support projects for up to three years. Meanwhile, the charity’s Small Grants Programme supports projects for up to three years, and includes grants up to and including £10,000 per year.  Both of these programmes are currently open to applications.

Alongside the Main and Small Grants Programmes, BBC Children in Need have re-opened Curiosity – a partnership with Wellcome – which awards grants to organisations using inspiring science activities to create change for disadvantaged children and young people. The deadline for applications is 12 April 2019; more information on Curiosity and how to apply is available on BBC Children in Need’s website.

BBC Children in Need relies on the generosity and creativity of the thousands of supporters and fundraisers who raise millions of pounds for the charity every year. To date the UK public has raised over £1 billion for children and young people facing disadvantage across the UK.

To find out more, you can visit https://www.bbcchildreninneed.co.uk