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The Big Lottery Fund is enabling Media Trust to create an innovative UK network of local community news hubs that will support and empower local groups to tell their stories for online, broadcast and print media.

The Media Trust recently receives £1.89 million to support citizen journalism and aggregate, package and distribute community news stories across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

A TV and online platform will be supported by professional journalism, UK-wide news distribution and a new online Academy of Citizen Journalism. The new Academy will provide community news hubs with the tools, online training and resources to support and develop the skills of the Active Citizen Journalists who will be at the heart of the hubs.

Media Trust will provide structure for the thousands of local community news outlets that exist throughout the UK including on websites and newsletters. Through the Academy, training will provide communities with the power to deliver quality journalism, whilst the existing Community Channel online and on television will form a national platform that aggregates community news, stories, blogs and videos. The local hubs will be supported by an amazing network of media volunteers and mentors and the Media Trust’s Newswire and Community Channel platforms

Peter Wanless, Chief Executive, Big Lottery Fund said: “Media Trust’s plans to empower people to drive their local news agenda, inspire community action and build their media skills, are a great example of the ethos of BIG’s People Powered Change. BIG looks forward to seeing many more citizen journalists sharing their new skills with other local communities.”

Caroline Diehl MBE, Chief Executive of Media Trust said: “This funding is fantastic news for communities and charities throughout the UK. Together with Big Lottery Fund and Media Trust’s partners and corporate members, we will be able to connect communities to share their stories with each other locally, regionally, nationally and throughout the UK in a way that inspires us all to create positive social change.”

Further Information

Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 020 7211 1888     
Out of hours contact: 07867 500 572
Public Enquiries Line: 08454 102030                           
Textphone: 0845 6021 659
Full details of the Big Lottery Fund programmes and grant awards are available on the website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk
Follow BIG on Twitter: www.twitter.com/BigLotteryFund

Notes to Editors

• The Big Lottery Fund (BIG), the largest distributor of National Lottery good cause funding, is responsible for giving out 46% of 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 £25 billion has now been raised and more than 330,000 grants awarded across arts, sport, heritage, charities, health, education and the environment.