I have the great privilege of supporting and meeting dedicated volunteers and organisations that work very hard to improve life for our community.
Many of these people spend a lot of their time and money raising funds. One source for some is the Lottery. And projects which have won grants can go on to win a prize of £2000 and valuable national television exposure in the National Lottery Awards.
The Awards aim to recognise the difference that projects - big and small - make to people, places and communities nationwide.
I have been working with one of the local shortlisted projects, WildPlaces, which is in the semi finals for the best environmental project.
WildPlaces is about giving people living in urban areas of the North East opportunities to experience and learn about urban wildlife.
With 72 camera systems across the region we all have access to amazing wildlife footage.
The Northumberland Sea Cadets, for instance, were recently were able to film the otters in Blaydon.
Cheryl Nicholson of WildPlaces tells me that she hopes that the public votes for them as national recognition would give them a higher profile.
Another valuable institution up for the vote is the Sage Gateshead which reaches out to many groups in the community. Their projects include ones for schools, the over-50s and the Music Spark Programme, which offers work placements to adults with learning disabilities.
People can vote for these North East projects by going on-line at www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk/awards
You have until 18 June. The finals take place in July/August.
Finally, I was somewhat surprised to be told that I have been put up for adoption by campaigners at the UK Youth Climate Coalition as part of a major drive to raise the issues of climate change in the new Parliament.
This is a serious and important initiative by young people who rightly say that climate change is not just about polar bears and melting ice caps but also more directly about our community, our jobs, our public transport, our bills, our energy supply and most importantly our families.
I will happily co-operate with my adopters. I have already been active in promoting clean coal and renewables as part of the solution to securing energy supplies and reducing climate change.
The campaign website is http://ukycc.org/
Newcastle Chronicle and Journal
| Promoted by Paul Foy on behalf of Dave Anderson, both of St Cuthbert's Church Hall, Shibdon Road, Blaydon, NE21 5PT |