Lottery Money To Address Impact Of Alcohol

More than £187,000 of lottery money will be deployed in Northern Ireland to groups trying to reduce the harm caused by alcohol misuse.

The grants are being awarded by the Big Lottery Fund (BIG), which helps give away the 28p in every pound spent on the National Lottery.

The money will go to eight projects that work with voluntary and community organisations, including a scheme for people living with mental ill health and alcohol addiction and a project giving practical support to families.

Funding will allow Action Mental Health to develop a self-management programme for people with alcohol addiction as well as mental illness.

The programme would include courses on nutrition, relaxation and improving family relationships.

Bernie Best of the charity said a quarter of Northern Irish people with alcohol problems also suffered from mental ill health.

She said: "People turn to alcohol as a crutch and they rely on it to get them through the day, but it only ends up increasing their isolation and can lead to poverty, loneliness and the loss of family and friends. This project would help people to progress on their road to recovery."

Frank Hewitt of BIG said the development grants were the first stage of funding plans.

He said he hoped money from the organisation would "support innovative projects involving partnerships that build on existing experience and expertise and tackle the issues caused by alcohol misuse in Northern Ireland."

For more details visit www.biglotteryfund.org.uk.

(NE)