Basildon is finally to get its fair share of lottery money - thanks to a pioneering scheme which recognises areas which have unfairly gone without.

The Fair Share Trust will invest £818,000 in Basildon over the next ten years. It is part of a £50million pot which the New Opportunities Fund (NOF) is pumping into 77 disadvantaged areas in the UK which have not had their whack of Lotto cash.

The trust will award grants to voluntary organisations in the district to improve the environment, boost skills and employment opportunities and help secure future funding.

The Fair Share Trust, launched today is the first-ever scheme to ring-fence long-term funding for disadvantaged communities and was welcomed by Malcolm Buckley, leader of Basildon District Council.

He said: "We welcome any additional resources and are pleased that we will have our allocation of the lottery funding increased.

"Basildon and Billericay have been relatively low in terms of the awards they have received and would like to see both constituencies have the resources put into them that they deserve.

"There is also funding available for organisations and the council has a regeneration officer who is a specialist in lottery funding who will help organisations put together a bid as this can sometimes seem a bit daunting."

Laura Warren, chief executive of Essex Community Foundation - which was set up in 1996 and established a grants programme resulting in £2million being given to Essex-based organisations - said: "We will be working with local people to maximise the impact of the Fair Share Trust funding."

Voluntary organisations wanting to know more about the Fair Share grants programme should contact Judy-May Brandy, Programmes Director at Essex Community Foundation, on 01245 356018.

Published Thursday, June 12, 2003

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