Bedford community group looking to win a 'Lotto' cash in the People's Project

A community group in Bedford is calling on residents to help them secure up to £70,000 of National Lottery funding.

Back after a three-year break, The National Lottery Community Fund, ITV, UTV and the Sunday Mail have teamed up to give the public a chance to decide how National Lottery funding should be put to good use in their community.

And the Queen’s Park Community Organisation in Bedford is among five groups in the running, to showcase its work on ITV Anglia West. It will go head-to-head in a public vote with its project ‘Back to our Roots’ as part of the ‘The People’s Projects’.

Back to our Roots aims to give marginalised groups in Bedford a chance to run workshops in schools and community spaces to celebrate similarities and differences in cultures while sharing and learning about history and traditions. Overall, it aims to bring people together through learning to build stronger and more inclusive partnerships.

Other projects in the running include:

Hope for the Community by Northampton Hope Centre in Northamptonshire which provides the community with a food club to tackle financial hardships in the area.

More Little Miracles by Little Miracles Charitable Incorporated Organisation in Peterborough which aims to reduce isolation by providing a safe space inclusive to children with disabilities and their families.

The Friendship Van by Northamptonshire ACRE in Northamptonshire which will support rural communities by providing a safe space where isolated residents can socialise and build new relationships.

Up The Garden Bath by Up The Garden Bath, a Community Interest Company in Peterborough and Cambridge, which aims to educate the local community on recycling and sustainability by upcycling waste, such as bathtubs, into garden planters.

The three projects with the most public votes will receive grants of up to £70,000. Runners up will be offered up to £10,000 towards their project, bringing the total funding up for grabs for communities across the UK to over £4 million.

The People’s Projects not only delivers vital grants to the heart of UK communities, but also raises awareness of the incredible work of the shortlisted community groups vying for votes. Since it started in 2005, The People’s Projects has awarded around £45 million to over 1,000 good causes.

Blondel Cluff CBE, Chair of The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “As the largest funder of community activity in the UK, we are proud to deliver vital funding to the heart of communities, particularly in these challenging times. Thanks to National Lottery players, The People’s Projects is a fantastic initiative that showcases the incredible efforts of truly inspirational and hard-working groups, each delivering life-changing support to help their community thrive. We encourage the public to vote and have their say in how much-needed funding is used in their local area to make a difference to people’s lives.”

Voting opens on Monday May 15 and closes at noon on Friday May 26. People can vote only once per region. Visit the People’s Projects webpage to vote.