WIREDGOV

The People’s Millions TV contest returns to our TV screens today (Wednesday) as community groups across the UK are once again being invited to apply to win a slice of Lottery cash to improve their local area.

The People’s Millions, now in its fifth year, is a partnership between the Big Lottery Fund (BIG) and ITV which lets the public decide how millions of pounds of Big Lottery Fund cash is spent in their area.

This year the contest will make 69 awards of up to £50,000 across the 14 ITV regions to community projects that will enhance local facilities or help people to enjoy their local area. The contest is particularly looking for projects that enable people to get more involved in their community and that are original and imaginative.

A shortlist of projects in each region will be showcased on ITV’s local news programmes in the autumn where they will have to convince ITV viewers that they deserve the cash. It will then be up to the public to use their vote each night to decide which groups win the funding. Each region will have a best runner up award to give all projects a second chance to win.

The People’s Millions is part of BIG’s commitment to involve the public in deciding how Lottery money is spent. To date the competition has made 318 awards and invested around £18 million in community projects around the UK.

Sir Clive Booth, Chair of the Big Lottery Fund, said: “The People’s Millions is a brilliant chance for local groups and organisations to get funding for a project that will really make a difference to their communities.  

“People shouldn’t be daunted by the idea of taking part. Past experience shows that for many groups The People’s Millions is the first time they’ve applied for lottery funding. And often those that think they’ve got little chance of winning are the ones that are successful.

“The key is that the competition puts the public in charge of the Lottery purse strings and, as experts on their communities, lets them decide what local projects should be funded.”

Entry packs for The People’s Millions are available from today by calling the hotline: 08450 10 11 12 or by visiting www.peoplesmillions.org.uk. The deadline for applications is 15 May 2009.

Michael Grade, Executive Chairman of ITV, said: “ITV has established a strong relationship with the Big Lottery Fund over the last five years. The partnership has helped to distribute £18 million of funds to date and we are delighted to play a part in helping the public choose how these life changing grants are awarded to good causes across the UK.”

Further Information

Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 020 7211 1888
Out of Hours contact: 07867 500 572
ITV Press Contact: James Macleod on 020 7156 7236

Full details of Big Lottery Fund programmes and grant awards are available at: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk

Further Information

Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 020 7211 1888
Out of Hours contact: 07867 500 572
ITV Press Contact: James Macleod on 020 7156 7236

Full details of Big Lottery Fund programmes and grant awards are available at: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk

Photos available: Sangeeta Bhabra, ITV Meridian presenter, and Big Lottery Fund representatives at the Longridge Boating Centre and Folkestone Sports Centre

Notes to Editors

• 69 awards are up for grabs including one bonus award in each of the ITV regions. Number of awards per region are listed below.

Key People’s Millions dates for forward planning diaries:

15 May 2009: Closing date for applications
28 October 2009: Final project shortlist announced to the media
23-26 November 2009: People's Millions competition televised on ITV

• Since the launch of People’s Millions in 2005, the aim of the contest has been to fund projects that improve the quality of life of local communities through transforming the local environment.
• Telephone voting numbers – As with previous years, ITV and the Big Lottery Fund will use a low cost telephone number. ITV and Big do not make a profit from the voting telephone numbers.
• The Big Lottery Fund (BIG), the largest distributor of National Lottery good cause funding, is responsible for giving out half the money raised for good causes by the National Lottery.
• BIG is committed to bringing real improvements to communities and the lives of people most in need and has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK since June 2004. The Fund was formally established by Parliament on 1 December 2006.
• Since the National Lottery began in 1994, 28p from every pound spent by the public has gone to good causes. As a result, over £22 billion has now been raised and more than 300,500 grants awarded across arts, sport, heritage, charities, health, education and the environment.