New Vision North project wins lottery grant

The Big Lottery Fund Reaching Communities programme committee have today awarded the Field Studies Council (FSC) a vital grant to help fund their new Vision North project, working with visually impaired young people from the North West.

FSC is a national charity which provides quality environmental education across the UK through their network of Centres. This new project will enable the 12 visually impaired participants to attend a series of residential weekends at FSC Castle Head in the Lake District, and take part in adventurous and team building outdoor activities including climbing, raft building, conservation tasks, mountain walks and ropes courses.

The project, which launches later this year, will give the participants new opportunities that they would not otherwise have had. It will help the young people involved to improve their independence, self-confidence, physical and mental wellbeing, as well as develop friendships and share experiences with people who have similar visual impairments to themselves.

The grant of £17,500 will be used to fund various aspects of the project including specialist VI equipment, training and residential course costs. The remainder of the funding will come from FSC and Action for Blind People.

Steve Tilling, Director of Communications at FSC said: “We are delighted that Big Lottery Fund has chosen to support Vision North. We are really excited about working with the young visually impaired, inspiring them about the environment as well as boosting their own personal development. The support from both the grant funding and Action for Blind will be essential to run this project successfully and achieve its outcomes.”

Vision North is a pilot project which hopes to achieve very positive benefits for the young visually impaired people who take part, with hopes that the project would be extended if successful. 

For more information please contact FSC Grants Officer jennie@field-studies-council.org  

Friday, May 4, 2012