WIREDGOV

A choir made up of stroke patients will take part in a spectacular show next month as part of the UK city of Culture celebrations thanks to a lottery windfall from Culture for All. 

A choir made up of stroke patients will take part in a spectacular show next month as part of the UK city of Culture celebrations thanks to a lottery windfall from Culture for All. 

Stroke Odysseys, was awarded a grant of £9,690 to help patients and their families along with volunteers form a choir. The organisation is one of 24 projects to receive a total of £184,187, from the Big Lottery Fund and Arts Council of Northern Ireland’s Culture for All programme which has now closed for applications.

Culture for All is a small grants programme which offered grants of up to £10,000 to communities across Northern Ireland wanting to play a part in the UK City of Culture celebrations in 2013. Community organisations could apply for funding up until the end of August to run arts and culture projects and activities linking in with the historic event, encouraging talent and improving the lives of people in communities.

Chris Rawlence, Creative Producer and Lyricist of Stroke Odysseys said creating a choir made up of people who had suffered a stroke will give a voice to those who have previously been unheard and often become invisible because of their conditions.

He added: “The project has been developed from Rosetta Life, which is a creative initiative which helps people with serious life threatening conditions expressive themselves through song, dance and performance and we advocate patients such as those who have had a stroke being able to tell their story and express themselves in this way.”

Stroke Odysseys will be teaming up with the stroke unit at Atnagelvin Hospital and NI Chest Heart and Stroke Association to gain referrals of patients who want to take part in the choir which will put on two special performances in Derry Playhouse in November.

Kay Duddy, from Omagh who volunteers with Chest Heart and Stroke Association, believes the project will make a huge difference to stroke patients.

She added: “This is a way for them to tell their story to express what has happened to them and to feel involved and part of something. I think it is a wonderful idea. I am not the best singer in the world but I am just looking forward to being part of something which is so special and which makes a difference.”

Joanne McDowell Big Lottery Fund NI Director said: “The Big Lottery Fund and Arts Council of Northern Ireland are delighted to announce grants from this programme which is giving communities across Northern Ireland the chance to be a part of one of the world’s most significant cultural events in 2013.

“We are delighted with the range of arts and culture projects from across Northern Ireland that we have been able to support which link to the City of Culture celebrations and benefit their local community.”

This programme closed to applications on 30 August 2013. For more details call us on 028 9055 1455, or e-mail us at enquiries.ni@biglotteryfund.org.uk

For further information contact

Karen Ireland, Press Office Big Lottery Fund: 9055 1426
Mobile: 07788 640 791

Notes to editors

• The Big Lottery Fund (BIG), the largest distributor of National Lottery good cause funding, is responsible for giving out 40% 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 BIG has awarded over £4.4bn.
• 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 £28 billion has now been raised and more than 383,000 grants awarded across arts, sport, heritage, charities, health, education and the environment.
• The Arts Council of Northern Ireland is the lead development agency for the arts in Northern Ireland. It is the main support for artists and art organisations throughout the region, offering a broad range of funding opportunities through its Treasury and National Lottery funds.