27th July 2010
An equestrian project has been named as a finalist in the Best Education category of The National Lottery Awards 2010, the annual search to find the UK's favourite Lottery-funded projects.
Stepney Bank Stables, in Newcastle Upon Tyne, offers under-privileged and disabled children the chance to ride, look after and learn about horses, and develop their social and practical skills in a manner that will lead to enhanced opportunities and expectations.
This project is the only major inner city community horse project in the country and has proven the value of the horse as a tool to motivate, educate and pass on key social skills. Despite being an unusual concept it has proven a highly effective long term method of engaging disaffected and hard to reach groups.
"Stepney Bank is a fantastic place; what they are able to offer to children in the centre of Newcastle is truly amazing. The project has brought new opportunities to the community and opened doors for many individuals - they really do deserve their place in the final three" said Emma White, Regional Development Coordinator for the North East and Yorkshire.
The other two finalists in the category are:
• Chances for Life, a Lottery-funded project run by The Hinge Centre in Goole. It offers advice, information and support to young people under the age of 26 who are homeless, threatened with homelessness or who are vulnerable because of drug misuse, self-harming issues and social isolation. The project helps young people turn their lives around through a programme of workshops, life skills training, mentoring and one to one sessions.
• HMS Cavalier, in Chatham, was the Royal Navy's last operational World War II destroyer and until 1999, was gently rotting in a dry dock on Tyneside. The ship was acquired for preservation and dedicated to the 143 British Destroyers and 11,000 sailors lost at sea during the Second World War. Now restored, HMS Cavalier is a major heritage attraction and the focus of a range of educational programmes aimed at engaging children and young people of all ages, with a strong focus on working with under-achieving students.
All the projects in the running have already received Lottery funding and the Awards celebrate how they have put that money to good use. The three finalists will now go head-to-head in a public vote.
This year's National Lottery Awards are supported by actress Fay Ripley, who attended last year's Awards ceremony, broadcast on BBC1. She says: "Lottery players raise £25 million every week to support a wide variety of projects and each year The National Lottery Awards recognise the incredible impact that Lottery-funded projects have on people and communities across the UK. All of the projects have done so well to reach the final of The National Lottery Awards, so please take the time to show your support - every vote really does make a difference!"
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).
The winners of each category will be announced during a star-studded Awards event, broadcast on BBC1 in September, and this year held at London's Roundhouse, which is Lottery-funded.
Public voting for the final starts at 9am on 26 July and ends at midday on 13 August. The public can vote for their favourite project by going online to www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk/awards or for the projects above on the following numbers:
• To register your vote for Chances for Life call 0844 686 4497
• To register your vote for HMS Cavalier call 0844 686 1038
• To register your vote for Stepney Bank Stables call 0844 686 5540
