- £87,000 of National Lottery funding will support a new digital skills project for young people and adults with cancer at Addenbrooke’s Hospital
- Funding will give people opportunities to learn digital media skills to support their transition back into their community and workplace.
Cambridge-based charity 20Twenty Productions has been awarded a grant of £87,000 from the Big Lottery Fund, the largest funder of community activity in the UK.
The money, raised by National Lottery players for good causes, will be used to provide oncology patients at Addenbrooke‘s Hospital - which include those diagnosed with all forms of cancer and leukaemia - an opportunity to learn a range of digital media skills.
Long-term treatment and time in hospital can impact on people’s education and careers. By giving people the opportunity to learn new skills and gain a digital qualification, this project aims to boost people’s confidence and support their transition back into their community and workplace.
The project has been designed by young people aged 14 to 25 staying on the Teenage Cancer Trust ward, alongside adults aged up to 50 staying on the oncology wards. People taking part will learn about app and game development, 3D animation, photography, graphic design, music production, film making and web design.
James Harcourt, England Funding Director at the Big Lottery Fund, said: “Sharing and learning new skills can be a great way for people to come together, develop their talents and feel part of their community. National Lottery funding supports thousands of opportunities like this right across the country, and it will be great to see 20Twenty Productions using their new grant to make a difference to people whose lives have been affected by cancer.”
Tim Nightingale, Digital Director at 20Twenty Productions, said: “This project teaches new skills at a time when opportunities for digital learning are extremely limited, and also gives people a more positive experience of staying in hospital. We are proud and excited to have received three years of funding to deliver this project. This is the first funding we as an organisation have received from the Big Lottery Fund, and we thank everybody that has played the National Lottery to make it possible.”
The Big Lottery Fund is responsible for giving out 40% of the money raised by National Lottery players for good causes. Last year of the almost 14,000 projects it supported across the UK, over 5,000 were working to improve people’s skills.
To find out more visit www.biglotteryfund.org.uk.