The next meeting of the Trustees of the Manx Lottery Trust is scheduled to take place on Friday, 19th December 2014.

The Trustees kindly request that applications for their consideration are received by the Grants Officer no later than Friday, 5th December 2014.

Friends of The Centenary Centre, Peel have been awarded a grant of £7,500 towards the cost of long awaited disabled facilities.

The good news was given to the audience prior to Saturday evening's event by TCC Chairman, Norman Teare. A presentation was then made by MLT Chairman, Malcolm Kelly to John Slater.

During the evening every one was delighted to learn that sales of raffles tickets exceeded the target number of 1,000, with proceeds going towards the total cost of the disabled facilities.

New coaches built by local craftsmen in Laxey were launched by His Excellency Lieutentant Governor Mr Adam Wood on Saturday 13th September. Following the launch,and in glorious sunshine, the Steam Train "Sea Lion"  pulled the 3 highly varnished coaches carrying guests, from Lhen Coan Station to Sea Lion Rocks.

Chairman of Groudle Glen Railway, Trevor Nall thanked the Manx Lottery Trust, as delegated partner of Big Lottery Fund UK, for awarding a grant to fund the project, and all those who had worked so hard in getting the new coaches ready for launch in only seven months.

The railway has slowly been restored from nothing, starting in 1982, by a group of dedicated enthusiasts who were passionate about ensuring that this piece of Manx Heritage was restored. The volunteers have been activley trying to improve access to the railway for people with disabilities. The new coaches allow the railway to provide wheelchair and disabled access to the attraction for the first time. www.ggr.org.uk

Kenyons Cafe, a charity serving the young people of Onchan, has carried out much need renovations to their drop in centre.

Breda and Trevor represented the Manx Lottery Trust at a well attended preview night of the facilities.  A grant of £991 was awarded by MLT towards the cost of new seating.

Chairman of Kenyon's Cafe, Martin Macfarlane, said "During recent years our attendance figures have grown substantially demonstrating the importance of such a facility within the village. We have created a secondary lounge area to provide enough seating and entertainment for multiple friendship groups plus another area for youth workers to discuss sensitive topics without the distractions from others." 

Martin expressed his gratiude to all volunteers who had worked non-stop over the summer holiday and to all who assisted in making the renovation possible.

The confidential Drug Advice Service & Helpline (DASH) is a Manx Charity with 17 years experience of working with those affected by drugs.

The Manx Lottery Trust, as delegated partner of Big Lottery Fund UK, has awarded DASH a grant of £27,420 for a new drug worker post which will enable DASH to provide preventative education both in school and the wider communtiy with adults, particularly with parents in the workplace.

Director of DASH, Shelly Stanley said " We are very grateful to the Manx Lottery Trust for their support of our early intervention work which aims to head off potential problems with drugs  or help those already involved by reaching them at an earlier stage."

A General Awards grant of £23,100 from Manx Lottery Trust, as delegated partner of Big Lottery Fund UK, has enabled BMX IOM to carry out remedial works to the Ramsey course structure and lay a tarmac surface to 3 berms (banked corner)  constructed to a regional standard.

The proper tarmac surface will stop erosion, improve durability, reduce maintenance time and encourage further usage by club members and the general public. Importantly, this will improve rider skills and ability, improve safety  and help raise their riding standard to enable them to compete.

BMX IOM Chairman, Iain Clague welcomed MLT representatives to the course and said "I hope that  the improved track will lead to regional competitions being held on the island".

Britsh Cycling Rep, Mickey Cain told MLT Chairman, Malcolm Kelly that "It has been very rewarding seeing so many new faces at the track, with the parents saying it is 100% better and the word has spread about the vast improvements this funding has allowed us to do - thank you. Safety has improved, new skills are being developed and training has improved - and it is only early days".

Ramsey Rowing Club have taken delivery of two junior skulling boats suitable for novice juniors. The purchase of the boats was made possible by a grant from Manx Lottery Trust, as delegated partner of Big Lottery Fund Uk.

Following the London Olympics, the club set up a junior  rowing squad and already have 7 members aged 10-14 years and are confident they will soon reach their maximum capacity of 15 young people.

The "Thriving Families" service was established in February 2013 with funding provided for an initial 30 month period by the Manx Lottery Trust, as delegated partner of the Big Lottery Fund UK.

Through recommendations from other agencies and The Children's Centre's Family Centres face to face work began with the target number of 12 families in April 2013.

From the outset the intention has been to evaluate the impact of the sevice upon the children and their families using two distinct tools, being:

- The "distance travelled" by the children and families during their time of involvment with the service

- A "Social Return on Investment" (SRoI) calculation which produces a ratio that suggests for every £1 invested £X of benefit is produced.

Through the focussed support of the staff team, the Thriving Families service equips parents and children with new knowledge, skills and tools through which they can improve their family life,tackle problems and challenges, and make changes to thier lives. It builds their confidence to be able to plan ahead, and create greater family stability , enjoyment and optimism for their futures in both an independent and intra-dependent way.

The Thriving Families service combines parenting education with family support and other carefully selected and individually targeted interventions.

The calculated benefit for year one of thriving Families is £5.51 of benefit for every £1 invested.

Lulu Gillow, Trevor Butler and Breda Craine attended the presentation, which was held in the Baroole Suite, Government Buildings on 22nd April 2014.

A Manx Lottery Trust grant of £750 awarded to Kirk Michael Thursday Club will enable members to continue to enjoy a mixed programme of meetings and outings.

The Club is run by members for the benefit of the elderly in Kirk Michael and surrounding area.

Particluarly enjoyed by the many non-driving members are Coach outings, which start from Cannan Court sheltered housing and travel on roads away from normal bus routes to allow members to see different parts of the Island.

The Trustees and Officers were delighted to welcome Samantha Tague, Funding Manager, Big Lottery Fund UK, on her first visit to the Isle of Man. During her brief visit Sam carried out compliance checks and attended the meeting of Trustees held on Friday, 28th March at Ronaldsway Airport, by kind permission of Ann Reynolds, Director of Ports.

Sam will be making a return visit to the Island very shortly which will provide the opportunity to visit some of the projects awarded grant funding by the Manx Lottery Trust, as delegated partner of Big Lottery Fund UK.

Hospice recognised a while ago there was a need for a member of the clinical team to work with children and young adults of all ages. This includes children & young who were patients themselves or who were the children or grandchildren of Hospice patients. Following a wide range of research and consultation with other Hospices in the UK it was decided that with funding the appointment of a Youth Support Worker could support this specific age range. The charity then applied to the Manx Lottery Trust for the first year’s funding with another charity picking up the ongoing costs for the following years.

Lynsey has worked for Hospice for almost 7 years, primarily in the children’s hospice, Rebecca House, and also as a volunteer bereavement counsellor for Hospice for the last 3 years. Commenting on her appointment she said: “I really enjoy working with young people and I understand that they have very different concerns than adults. I am looking to understand the world from their perception and communicate well with them to deal with any matters that arise.”

"Thank you" flags and minbus bunting created by the children welcomed visitors and fundraisers to Sulby School for the arrival of the new minibus.

Staff, pupils and parents gathered at the school entrance to see the minibus arrive for the grand "opening" of the vehicle.

The Manx Lottery Trust, as delegated partner of Big Lottery Fund UK, awarded a grant of £8,000 to match funds raised by the School, PTA and long-term supporters Mr & Mrs George Moore.

In addition to being used for pupil educational trips and visits, the minibus will be available for use in the community by the school's affilitaed organisations.

On Sunday 1st September 2013, the Tommy Clucas Memorial Hall was officially opened by the family of the late Manx Grand Prix rider and footballer it is named after.

Tommy died during racing in 2004, and since then fundraising has taken place to build the hall next to Peel Football club.

Kelvin Dawson, Chairman of the Tommy Clucas Memorial Fund, says "it is a facility for everbody to use".

Representatives of the Manx Lottery Trust joined invited guests for the well attended opening. The Trust granted an award of £45,000 towards the project.

The newly formed Manx Fungus Group has been awarded £500, under the minor grant scheme, towards  the cost of a microscope for fungus identification.

Chairman, of IOM Fungus Group, Liz Charter says"Fungi are a much neglected part of our biodiversity. Information gathered will be entered into the Biological Records Database at Manx Museum and used to conserve this apsect of our biodiversity. It will also be part of a wider education programme to keep people safe from poisoning from fungi".

For further information please visit www.manxbiodiversity.org/fungus

New match standard permanent floodlights were officially switched on at Ramsey Rugby Union Football Club on Thursday, 15th August 2013.

The new floodlight system was unveiled at a grand switching on ceremony at a rainswept Mooragh Park.

The Rugby Football Union together with The Manx Lottery Trust , as delegated partner of Big Lottery Fund UK, awarded grants  towards the £64,000 cost of the floodlights which will be a big help during the winter months when league fixtures can be threatened by the approach of darkness. The club will also be looking to fill the gap between school and senior rugby with a floodlit midweek league for players in the 15-17 age range, who can often be lost to other sports.

The Manx Lottery Trust, as Delegated Partner of Big Lottery Fund UK, has awarded a grant of £50,000 to Motiv8 Addication Services for their project "Pathways to Addication". The project will establish the roots to substance misuse behaviour and the underlying factors including:

• Drug/alcohol use in adolesence
• When experimental and recreational use progressed into harmful and dependent use
• Areas of life where an individual may have felt disadvantaged
• Use of services available to help them
• Barriers to change

By giving those affected an opportunity to anonymously voice their life stories and pathways to addiction, Motiv8 will gain greater insight into the challenges faced by the individual and be able to map their service to the correct need.

A minor grant has been awarded to 1st Rushen Scout Group to assist towards the replacement of  camping and other equipment.

The group has recently developed to its present numbers of 15 beavers, 16 cubs and 25 scouts, plus 8 leaders and several parent helpers and has a full programme for the children of Port Erin.

A minor grant has been awarded to the Manx Wildlife Trust for the printing and distribution of leaflets, as part of a wider publicity campaign, to raise awareness of the planned conservation project covering 20km2 of forest in Ramsey.

The project is to expand the woodland area for the benefit of local wildlife, recreation, and local enterprise and will last for 30 years following launch in January 2014.

The Chairman and Trustees are pleased to announce the appointment of Mrs Julie McNicholl,  BA(Hons), MSc, RGN, FCIH, MInstLM, as a Trustee of the Manx Lottery Trust, following the retirement of Mrs Marlene Hendy.

Mrs McNicholl, who lives in Douglas, served as Mayoress of Douglas for a total of 4 years working closely with a number of local charities.

Mr Malcolm Kelly, Chairman says" Mrs McNicholl brings to the Trust hands on experience across a wide range of health and social welfare environments and her broad understanding of the imapcts of health and social issues both on individuals and society in general will very much compliment the wide range of skills and knowledge of the MLT team".

The Manx Lottery Trust, as delegated partner of Big Lottery Fund UK, granted an award of £20,000 to Manx Basking Shark Watch for their basking shark tagging project.

4 of the newly developed SPOT - tags have been successfully deployed so far, a very good start to the season.

The public can follow each of the 4 tagged basking sharks and receive e- mails every time their map is updated(daily at the moment) by using the link :

Please click on register to receive updates.

Extended term funding over a 30 month period has been granted to IOM Youth Motor Project by the Manx Lottery Trust (as delegated partner of Big Lottery Fund UK) for the above project.

The project will give up to 4 young people at a time, who are vulnerable to long-term unemployment and have little prospect of further education, a 12 month work experience programme. The aim is to offer a genuine and practical temporary activity package to introduce essential and foundation skills for employment , to the end of making the young person more "employable", more understanding of the value of working, and more aware of the personal requisites to gain lasting employment. To also reduce the likelihood of young people falling into a negative routine (e.g. sleeping -in, deflection and diversion through substance abuse, anti -social and non- communicative behaviours, etc) by providing a sanction based motivation for work ethic developent (motivation/prioirtising/self-support and self-esteem)

Malcolm Kelly was today appointed Chairman of the Manx Lottery Trust upon the retirement of Marlene Hendy.

Lulu Gillow was appointed Vice-Chairman.

On behalf of his fellow Trustees, and Officers, Mr Kelly thanked Mrs Hendy for her hard work with the Trust over the past 10 years and particularly during her two year term as Chairman, and added that everyone would miss her expertise and enthusiasm.

Extended Term Funding of £31,200 has been awarded to Crossroads Young Carers by the Manx Lottery Trust, as delegated partner of the Big Lottery Fund UK, to enable start up of  Young Adult Groups  specifically for the age range 16 to 24 years.

Young Carers is an established project which supports children and young people who provide care, assistance or support to another family memeber, who may have chronic illness or a disability.These young people carry out substantial or significant caring tasks and assume a level of responsibility normally associated with an adult. This new initiative aims to give support to young adults beyond the age of 18 and help transition into adulthood through various activities.

The Tommy Clucas Memorial Fund Committee announce funding target reached for the building of a community sports facility at Peel AFC's football ground.facility.

The Tommy Clucas Memorial Fund has been awarded a grant of £45,000 from the Manx Lottery Trust to go towards the building  of  a 40m x  25m indoor community sports facility, for multi sport use, with a 40mm 3G astroturf surface. The facility will also include a viewing area, storage room and associated facilities.

The building project is scheduled to be completed by April 2013.

A new minibus for Crossroads Care has been funded with a grant of £14k awarded under the Manx Lottery Trust General Awards Programme (as delegated partner of BIG Lottery Fund UK) together with donations from Microgaming Health and Care Trust (£10k), and the Gough Ritchie Charitable Trust (£7.5k), enabling the charity to purchase the new vehicle in time for the school summer holidays.

The bus is already being used as part of the Crossroads Holiday Scheme, which looks after 16 disabled children over the summer to allow their parents to continue working. Days out have already included trips to the Venture Centre, NSC, Laser Blast, and Curraghs Wildlife Park.

Malcolm Kelly,Trustee of the Manx Lottery Trust, who attended the official handover of the vehicle, says " The MLT were more than happy to help with this project as it fits in well with our General Awards Programme aims"

The Trustees and Officers were delighted to welcome Christine Ord, Funding Manager, Big Lottery Fund UK on a whistle stop visit to the island. As well as carrying out compliance checks, Christine attended a meeting of Trustees and visited the Children's Centre Community Farm who received grant funding from the General Awards Programme in 2011.

Manx volunteer lifeboat crews have received their new lifejackets - thanks to a grant awarded by the Manx Lottery Trust.

RNLI voulnteers invited members of the Trust, as well as former Douglas Mayoress Mrs Julie McNicholl, who also supported the campaign, to Douglas lifeboat station to show their gratitude for supplying volunteer crews with the new lifesaving kit.

Volunteer crews on all five of the Island's RNLI stations have received and been trained in how to use the modern pieces of search and rescue equipment.

Marlene Hendy, Chairman, Manx Lottery Trust says: "We are thrilled, as delegated partner of the Big Lottery Fund UK, to provide funding for the introduvtion of the new style lifejacket to all RNLI stations in the Isle of Man. This is a unique opprtunity to provide vital protective clothing for the brave volunteers who man the lifeboats and help safeguard our mariners in all weathers".

Adele Fuller, RNLI Community Fundraising Manager said: "On behalf of the charity I would like to thank the Manx Lottery Trust for supporting the RNLI and supplying our volunteer lifeboat crews with a vital piece of lifesaving kit that will help them save lives at sea."

Mr Malcolm Kelly, Trustee attended an open day at St German's, Peel when both refurbished and new hand bells were on show. 17 original bells have been refurbished and a further 20 bells  purchased to create a full chromatic 3 octave range set.

The Manx Lottery Trust , as Delegated Partner of Big Lottery Fund UK, assisted in the 2nd phase of the project with funding for refurbishment of 1 original bell and purchase of 18 new bells together with a set of fun bells designed for use with children, the elderly, and those with special needs.

The St German's Ringers project has secured the bells for future generations and the aim is to encourage members of the community to learn and play the bells, as well as continuing to perform at a wide rage of venues island wide.

Official opening of the floodlights and associated facilities took place on Friday 24th February 2012. MLT Chairman, Mrs Marlene Hendy, and Trustee , Mr Malcolm Kelly, were delighted to carry out the official "switch on" at 6pm following an address from the St John's Chairman, Mr Norman Kneen, who acknowledged the support from the Manx Lottery Trust (as delegated partner of the Big Lottery fund) by way of a grant of £40k awarded under the General Awards Programme.

In carrying out the opening, Mrs Hendy said the MLT were pleased to have been able to support the foodlighting project which would not ony benefit the St John's Community but Island Football as a whole. Mrs Hendy added that in the current economic climate, with strong competition for funding, this project was likely to be one of the last sizeable awards the MLT would be able to make towards such sporting facilties.

Following the loss of Mr QB Gill as Tynwald Member at the last general election, Mr Richard Ronan MHK has been appointed as the replacement Tynwald Trustee.

North Ramsey Bowling Club Officials and Members gather with representatives of the Manx Lottery Trust and Ramsey Commissioners to view the new Bowling Green Hut constructed in Mooragh Park.

Marown School Association successfully complete project "Operation Playground"

The Manx Lottery Trust grant awards to Ellan Vannin Gymnastics Club towards the cost of viewing gallery extension.

MLT representatives with members of South Ramsey Bowling Club and the new mower purchased with a grant made under the General Awards Programme

Mrs Marlene M Hendy has been elected Chairman, Manx Lottery Trust following the retirement of Mr N C Bryden as a Trustee

New Trustee appointed

On Thursday 24th March 2011, Trustees and Officers of the Manx Lottery Trust visted the newly refurbished lounge at Victim Support (Isle of Man). Damp proofing and renovation work was carried out with assistance from the Manx Lottery Trust by way of grant under our General Award Programme. Paula Gelling, Manager of Victim Support said " Until the work was done I didn't realise how much the room needed improving.Now the room is warm, dry, light and airy and a joy to work in as well as being inviting and welcoming for our clients".

On a blustery November day representatives of the Manx Lottery Trust try out kayaks purchased by Manx Paddlesports with grant assisstance from the Trust.

A grant from the Trust, awarded under the General Awards Programme, has enabled IOMSO to purchase Timpani Drums.

Trustees and Officers were delighted to hear the drums, played by Timpanist Jane Creer, during a concert by IOM Choral Society, in conjunction with IOMSO, held at the Villa Marina on Sunday 2oth February 2011.

Representatives of the Manx Lottery Trust present 20 track bikes purchased with financial assistance from the Trust for use by Manx cyclists in track racing at UK Velodromes.

Representatives of the Manx Lottery Trust present 20 track bikes purchased with financial assistance from the Trust for use by Manx cyclists in track racing at UK Velodromes.

The Manx Lottery Trust has announced today - 21st  June 2010 - its plans as a delegated partner of The Big Lottery Fund to distribute a minimum of £1.5 million to good causes on the Isle of Man over the next five years that will benefit local communities.

Representatives of the Manx Lottery Trust present a RS Feva dinghy, cover and launching trolley for use by the Training Section of the Isle of Man Yacht Club.