Happy 30th Birthday to The National Lottery!
This year marks 30 years of The National Lottery and we wanted to join other arts and community organisations in saying a big thank you to National Lottery players who raise over £30 million a week for good causes across the UK.
Digital Voice were very grateful to receive three years of funding in 2023 to work with the communities here in the North East who need it most. Our three-year grant is funding a range of digital projects for disadvantaged and digitally excluded people, with a focus on practical skills which we know can genuinely improve people’s lives and employment prospects.
Julie Nicholson, our Managing Director, comments:
“The grant from the National Lottery Community fund really was a game changer for us. It wasn’t just the size of the grant, it was the fact that we got guaranteed funding for three years, ensuring that we can deliver projects that are not simply one-offs but have longevity built into them. The relationships we have with our partner organisations are vital to our work; funding like this has allowed us to make long-term, meaningful connections.”
Eighteen months into this funding and we are running a range of projects which focus on creative digital skills; media literacy; active citizenship; improving intergenerational connections; improving mental health and wellbeing. We’re working across the North East, so you’ll find us running our InTouch digital skills course in Weardale and with Gateshead Muslim Women’s Centre; or creating a podcast with Gateshead’s Plus Group for young LGBTQ+ people; or film-making with the Deaf Centre in Newcastle. And much more!
“I must say a huge thank you to all National Lottery players who have made the funding for this project possible; it’s already making a real difference to people’s lives here in the North East.”
- Julie Nicholson