Big Lottery Fund £40million for community health projects

£40million of Big Lottery Fund funding is to be invested in community health schemes across England as new research reveals that taking part in these projects can make you almost three times happier than if your income were to double.

14 organisations, including local health bodies and leading charities, will receive the funding from Big Lottery Fund to deliver the interventions to encourage healthier eating, increase physical activity and promote good mental health. Many of the projects will target vulnerable and marginalised groups including families struggling with food poverty, older people experiencing loneliness and isolation, and young homeless people.

The funding comes as research from a five-year report compiled by Centre for Local Economic Strategies (CLES) and the New Economics Foundation (NEF) suggests that community-based health projects can significantly improve people’s happiness and life satisfaction.

The research, which surveyed nearly 2,000 people taking part in Lottery-funded schemes including cooking lessons for families, cycling and therapeutic gardening projects, showed an average increase in life satisfaction from 6.5 to 7.1 on a ten point scale, which was sustained at least six months after their involvement in projects had ended.

The data, which is one of the biggest sets available in the UK, looking specifically at the impact of community health interventions, also found the proportion of people reporting depressive symptoms fell 35 percent after taking part in projects and the amount of people feeling relaxed increased by 41 percent. The projects increased self esteem, with almost 25 percent more people feeling good about themselves and optimistic about the future. Participants were also more likely to eat five portions of fruit and veg each day, an increase of 16 percent, and become more active, with those only taking part in low levels of physical activity falling 21 by percent.

Building on that research, Big Lottery Fund has awarded £40million Lottery funding to around 200 health projects that will work in communities across England. For a full list of awards being made visit www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/global-content/-/media/Files/wb_may_2013 and for further information about the evaluation visit www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/research/health-and-well-being/evaluating-well-being.