THE National Lottery Community Fund has announced funding to groups in West Belfast to improve health and wellbeing and tackle local issues and recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.
One of the groups funded is Forthspring Inter Community Group which has secured £500,000 to build on an interface project on the Springfield Road.
Moving Up, Moving On (MUMO) works with families from Springfield Primary School and St Clare’s Primary School, providing support to help people make positive changes in their lives and build relationships across the divide.
Heather Floyd, who leads the MUMO project said: “We’re absolutely delighted to receive this significant National Lottery investment for the area. Parents see this project as giving them opportunities they might have missed at school, and giving their kids chances to have a positive experience of education. When families get involved in our activities, they also become closer to the school and teachers, helping work with them to support their child’s education and wellbeing.
“During the recent nights of riots in the area, parents from both sides of the peace wall were messaging each other in our family group, checking everyone was ok and saying how we all need to stay united and work together across communities to build the city back up again after Covid. This project is letting people that would never have been friends come together and it’s so important for the future as the kids get to know others from a young age, all while doing fun and educational things to help themselves.”
Another group, Kids in Control are using a £9,795 grant to deliver a theatre programme for young people with learning disabilities, Autism Spectrum Disorder, mental health issues, from marginalised communities, or with difficult home environments.
Lifehub Limited, based in Townsend Enterprise Park is using a £9,900 grant to enable them to support over 250 vulnerable families per week with food hampers. This will improve wellbeing for local people, many of whom are homeless, refugees or asylum seekers.
Volunteers from Lifehub Limited, based in Townsend Enterprise Park packing food hampers. 
Also receiving funding in the West Belfast area is Carrigart Youth and Community Group, Foodstock Ltd, Footprints Women's Centre, Lagmore Youth Project, Good Shepherd Nursery School and Upper Andersonstown Community Forum.
Kate Beggs, NI Director of The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “We’re delighted to announce funding to organisations across Northern Ireland today. From the very smallest to the largest, these projects are using National Lottery money in different ways to support people of all ages, families and diverse communities to re-build and re-connect."
