The second chapter of the Reading Families Award Scheme Opens

Added: (Tue Apr 02 2002)

Pressbox (Press Release) - The second phase of the Reading Families Millennium Award Scheme has now started, offering people another opportunity to apply for an award of up to £6000 to get communities and families reading together. The first round of the Award Scheme, supported by funding from the Millennium Commission, resulted in 133 outstanding projects being awarded the grants they needed to put their ideas into practice. The Campaign for Learning, who co-ordinate the scheme, hope the second phase will be even more successful. With £1.2million to give out over 3 years there is a good chance of you becoming an award winner yourself, even if you have never been involved in anything like this before.

The scheme hopes to attract projects that target groups at risk of becoming switched off from reading, including prisoners, fathers and boys and the elderly. One of the projects that received funding was one based at HMP Wayland in Norfolk. This project will allow three prison inmates to liaise with the local Education Action Zone to produce “treasure chests” in the prison workshop for storage of an inspirational selection of books, props and games. This creative idea will help stimulate the inmates’ enjoyment and interest in reading, which can really make a difference to their lives.

Over 80 community mentors have been recruited to offer support and guidance to the award winners, many of whom have never been involved in organising initiatives of this kind before. Six training days have been arranged throughout England to prepare the award winners to start their projects and make them a success. Training and mentoring will be made available for all the winners from the second round so, once again, all that individuals have to put in is their time and energy.

Applications for this round of awards can be obtained by calling Helen Russell on 020 7976 2011 or visit our website at www.campaign-for-learning.org.uk/readingfamilies.htm for more information.



Notes to editors:
 Regional case studies of other winners are available
 For further details contact Louise Thomas on 0207 930 1111 or 07976 175978 (mobile) e-mail: lthomas@cflearning.org.uk
 The Reading Families Millennium Awards Co-ordinators are::
Southern Region: Helen Russell, 020 7976 2011e-mail: hrussell@cflearning.org.uk
Midlands Region: Geoff Taggart, 0121 643 4533 e-mail: gtaggart@cflearning.org.uk
 The Campaign for Learning is an independent charity that is working to create an appetite for learning throughout society. It is funded by both the private and public sector, including the DfES, ntl, Edexel, Centrica, National Grid, and Celemi. It organises national awareness campaigns such as Family Learning Weekend and Learning at Work Day. Organisations that would like to participate in either event should register their interest by calling 0117 966 7755.
 The Millennium Awards Scheme is part of a £200 million programme of grants to individuals administered by not for profit organisations across the UK and funded by the Millennium Commission.
 Millennium Awards are small Lottery grants which enable individual people to put their own bright ideas into action fulfilling a personal goal and, in doing so, enriching their communities for the new millennium. Tens of thousands of people across the UK will benefit from a Millennium Award. Hundreds of thousands of people will receive support from the projects they carry out.
 On successful completion of their project, each individual Award recipient will receive a certificate and become a member of the Millennium Awards Fellowship in recognition of their personal achievement and commitment to the community.
 The Millennium Commission is one of the good causes which share 28p of every pound spent on the National Lottery. Its role is to use Lottery Money to assist communities in marking the close of the second millennium and celebrating the start of the third.