John Battle MP welcomes Lottery success

John Battle, Labour MP for Leeds West, welcomed the latest total of nearly four and half million pounds of Lottery grants for the community in his constituency.

“This Lottery has made a real different here in our communities and I do welcome this latest total of funding for West Leeds.

“I’m particularly pleased that 16 Second World War veterans received grants to return to the battlefields, 60 years later, because I did all I could to let people know they were available. Veterans from West Leeds travelled to France, Holland, Belgium, Italy, Sri Lanka, Burma, and Hong Kong, and had grants to take carers where necessary.

“We’ve had a good range of grants helping all sections of the community – from Bramley Elderly Action’s community transport and shopping service to Interplay Theatre’s IT and music production suite for youngsters. Skippko Arts also got a good helpful grant, as did the centre for prison visitors, and the Burley Lodge Centre which does excellent work serving the whole community in Burley Lodge.

“I understand that Yorkshire as a whole has received over £330 million.”

Leeds West constituency has received 59 grants from the Big Lottery Fund totalling £4,418,633, up to May 2005 – this is just the funding for charities and community groups and does not include funding for sports or heritage, such as the major grant for Kirkstall Abbey.

Link to www.biglotteryfund.org.uk for larger grants and www.awardsforall.org.uk for smaller grants with a faster process.

©John Battle MP 04 August 2005