Local community group, Bright Futures Ferryhill CIC, is celebrating after being awarded almost £10,000 in National Lottery funding to support its work with children from Ferryhill.
The group, based in Ferryhill Sport and Education Centre, will use the money to run activities in the local area for children.
Bright Futures Ferryhill CIC has been running for around six months.
It was founded by Hannah Wilkinson after she realized that the local children were struggling to access activities due to barriers including financial struggles, cost of living, transport issues or lack of interest.
The group now runs weekly youth clubs, boxing, football and gymnastics courses, monthly craft sessions, discos and pamper parties and has been attended by over 100 local children, where they join in with activities.
The sessions help the children to make friends, while learning new skills and having fun. While enjoyable, the children are also gaining greater confidence, self-belief and important collaboration skills.
The new funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, which distributes money raised by National Lottery players for good causes and is the largest community funder in the UK, will see these sessions continue and help provide a subsidized or fully funded spaces to children in need.
At the same time, the group will be able to sustain running costs and offer a more diverse experience with the purchase of new equipment and materials to keep the children engaged.
The group’s founder, Hannah Wilkinson said: “We’re delighted that The National Lottery Community Fund has recognised our work in this way.
“Now, thanks to National Lottery players we will be able to continue to offer our current programme and hopefully more sessions to more children.
“This is important because it gives the children of Ferryhill an opportunity to access out of school clubs by breaking down the barriers that currently stop them.”
Ferryhill & Chilton's local community newspaper.
