Figures
from the National Lottery Charities Board (NLCB) show that Coventry top of the table for
National Lottery funding for voluntary and community groups. Staff at Coventry Voluntary
Service Council (CVSC), the city’s umbrella body for the voluntary and community
sector, were delighted with the news – two-thirds of the city’s £7.5million
NLCB windfall has been supported through CVSC’s advice and information workshops.
But staff are worried that some voluntary and community groups not on their database
are missing out on free services such as training and funding information, and so are
encouraging all voluntary and community organisations in Coventry to contact Jenny Lucas
on 220361 to obtain a free membership pack.
Out of 34 boroughs in the West Midlands, Coventry was first with over £22 NLCB funding
per citizen, compared to £6 – 9 for some metropolitan boroughs. Grants worth over
half a million pounds have recently been awarded to the Wood End Family Project, MAPS,
Coventry Carers Centre and the Wood End Advice and Information centre – all receiving
advice and support from CVSC.
Family Project spokesperson Ruth Popejoy described CVSC’s support as
"integral to the effectiveness of the application, from the initial training around
Lottery applications to checking and giving advice about the application itself", and
recommended that all voluntary and community groups in Coventry should ensure that
they’re on CVSC’s membership list.
