Voluntary Sector Lottery Support 'protected'

Tourism and heritage minister John Penrose has directed the Big Lottery Fund to focus its support towards projects within the voluntary and community sector (VCS).

The announcement, which applies to England only, follows recent alterations to the share of Lottery funding made available for sport, arts and heritage.

Although the Big Lottery Fund will retain the power to decide which projects it funds, it is hoped the direction will provide a boost to VCS schemes. Among those to benefit will be charities, voluntary groups, social enterprises, parish councils, community projects in schools and veterans.

Penrose said: "Protecting lottery funding for these types of projects is an important way of building and maintaining the kind of voluntary and community action that is an integral part of the Big Society. The Big Lottery Fund have already done great work in raising the amount of money that goes to this particular sector and I hope that this will now increase even further."

The direction was issued under Section 36E of the National Lottery Act 1993.

Source: sportsmanagement.co.uk