Dorset-based children’s charity, MYTIME Young Carers, is calling on local people to help them secure £70,000 of National Lottery funding by voting for them in this year’s The People’s Projects. Voting opens at 9am on Monday 15th May at: www.thepeoplesprojects.org.uk
MYTIME Young Carers is one of five groups in the Meridian West in the running for a share of almost £250,000 of funding. If successful, MYTIME Young Carers will use the money to bring young carers together as a community to enjoy fun and enriching activity days out.
Krista Sharp, CEO of MYTIME Young Carers commented, “There are an estimated 11,000 young carers living in Dorset currently, and this number is constantly on the rise as the cost of living crisis creates more and more mental health concerns for families. Young carers do so much for their loved ones: some provide personal care, helping relatives to get showered and dressed for the day, some administer medication and dress wounds, and most take on the lion’s share of the housework too. The mind-boggling thing is that we work with children as young as five years old, who are already fulfilling these kinds of responsibilities.”
MYTIME’s Making Memories programme provides young carers from all over Dorset with chances to take some much-needed time out from their caring responsibilities and to experience new things, such as ice-skating, rock-climbing or paddle-boarding. Days out include a hot meal for each child, and encourage young carers to get active and connect with the great outdoors. They help to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety, but perhaps most importantly of all, they create opportunities for young carers to meet and build for themselves a support network.
The team at MYTIME Young Carers are elated to have been shortlisted as one of The People’s Projects finalists this year. The People’s Projects not only delivers vital grants to the heart of UK communities, but also raises awareness of the incredible work of the 95 shortlisted community groups vying for your vote. Back after a 3-year break, The National Lottery Community Fund, ITV, UTV and the Sunday Mail (in Scotland) have teamed up to give the public a chance to decide how National Lottery funding should be put to good use in their local area.
In each region, the three projects with the most public votes will receive grants of up to £70,000. This funding will help make a real difference to people’s lives, particularly in these difficult times. The runner’s up in each region will be offered up to £10,000 towards their project, bringing the total funding up for grabs for communities across the UK to over £4 million.
In May, MYTIME Young Carers will showcase its Making Memories Programme on ITV Meridian West. To be in with a chance of winning, MYTIME Young Carers is calling on viewers to support its bid. Voting opens at 9am on Monday 15th May at: www.thepeoplesprojects.org.uk
Penelope Day, Director of Fundraising and Communications at MYTIME Young Carers says, “As a charity, we receive no government funding at all so The People’s Projects represents an amazing opportunity for us to raise awareness and much-needed funding for our work. By voting for MYTIME’s Making Memories Programme, you’ll be keeping it going for another year, allowing us to support around 500 young carers over that time. We really need local people to get behind us, to show their support and vote.”
David Knott, Chief Executive of The National Lottery Community Fund, said, “The People’s Projects delivers much-needed funding to the heart of communities and showcases the incredible efforts of hard-working projects across the UK. The short-listed groups are truly inspirational, each delivering life-changing support to their community in different ways. It is now time for the public to have their say in how vital National Lottery funding is used in their area to make a difference to people’s lives, particularly in these challenging times.”
Voting closes at noon on Friday 26 May 2023. People can vote only once per region and will need an email address or mobile number to vote*.
To support MYTIME Young Carers and for Terms and Conditions please visit www.thepeoplesprojects.org.uk