Conwy will benefit from £15,000 Lottery funding

Dec 29 2011 by Ian Hughes, North Wales Weekly News

ALMOST £15,000 will go to improving the lives of people in Conwy.

Money has been awarded as part of the latest round of the Big Lottery Fund’s Awards for All small grants programme.

Conwy will benefit from £4,964 given to the country-wide project Music in Hospitals. It provides concerts for adults and children receiving care in hospitals, hospices, care homes, day care centres and specials needs schools.

Established in 1948, the project encourages people to take part in events to relieve stress, with nearly 5,000 live concerts a year in the UK.

The group’s development manager, Melanie Peters, said: “Research shows that live music can assist the healing process, reduce pain, anxiety and depression and helps to create joy for those who need it most of all.

“Concerts bring a sustained improvement to the quality of life of adults and children affected by all kinds of illness, life limiting conditions, mental health problems, physical and learning disabilities whilst creating a shared experience that can be enjoyed by the wider community of healthcare staff, volunteers and relatives.

“The musicians do not provide miracle cures but magical moments of warmth and joy as they help bring the person out of the patient.”

North Wales Deaf Association, based in Llandudno Junction, has also received £4,991 of funding to raise awareness of healthy living among deaf people in the county.

Using the grant, the association will provide information on how to keep a healthy heart by holding workshops and producing information DVDs.

The money will fund the distribution of DVDs, venue hire, BSL interpreters and transport and administration costs.

Menter Iaith Abergele has received £4,960 of Big Lottery funding to deliver a series of events to the community to help improve knowledge of Welsh culture.

It is hoped a series of workshops will aid the development of Welsh language in the town and its surrounding area. This project meets the Awards for All aims of supporting community activity.