THE National Lottery Community Fund awarded almost £800,000 in grants to communities in North Wales that are helped mainly by volunteers.

Many of the grants support projects which rely on volunteers and some are entirely run by volunteers who dedicate themselves to achieving great things for their community.

The National Lottery Community Fund marked Volunteer Week (1-6 June) by awarding great causes in Flintshire and Wrexham with much deserved funding.

In Flintshire, ClwydAlyn Housing Association successfully bid for £134,943 over two years to provide an onsite Health Visitor and Health and Wellbeing Officer for homeless families residing at Erw Groes, a supported living scheme managed by ClwydAlyn.

The project will improve physical and emotional health for homeless families, helping them to achieve their potential, integrate successfully with the wider community and break negative parenting cycles.

Stuart Walls, Senior Project Office for Erw Groes said: “We really appreciate this great support from the National Lottery Community Fund. This will secure a further year’s funding for the on-site Health Visitor post who is already doing a brilliant job with our families since April this year. It will also fund an innovative new Mental Health and Wellbeing Officer to work directly with our vulnerable families.”

Also, Ysgol Bryn Deva School in Connah’s Quay will receive £4,350 to run a three day community arts project for Year 5 pupils from six schools to build confidence, communication and creativity in preparation of their transition to secondary education.

Funding will pay for five artists for three days, the relevant art supplies and travel.

In Wrexham, Menter Iaith Fflint a Wrecsam applied for £45,848 to spend over three years building on the success of the Magi Ann apps by creating ‘keep fit’ online resources for children and Welsh learning families.

Gill Stephen, Chief Officer for Menter Iaith Fflint a Wrecsam, said: “We are delighted to be launching this new resource. It builds on the fantastic success of the popular apps based on the Magi Ann characters, which were originally developed with support from the National Lottery Community Fund.”

“This new project will create a fun, bilingual, digital resource for families, which will be available for the whole community. As well as promoting the use of the Welsh language, it will encourage good health practice and fitness.”

Also, the Friends of Wrexham Carers group who provide a counselling service for unpaid carers to support their wellbeing will receive £9,610 to fund clinical supervision, office rent, administration and promotional materials.