It's a lottery

The decision comes just a day after a bid for £1 million from St Leonard's Hospice in York was turned down.

Anne McIntosh: hospice is a "worthier cause"

York Travellers' Trust is getting £183,033 from the National Lottery Charities Board to help establish residents' associations on three travellers' sites at Clifton Moor, Osbaldwick and James Street, and also a centrally based travellers' advice and support centre.

The three-year grant, which was decided by a regional awards committee, will also fund office equipment, staff costs for three workers, running costs, training and travel, as well as increased representation of travellers on the organisation's management committee.

The Evening Press reported in later editions yesterday how fundraising staff at St Leonard's Hospice had been disappointed in their application for a £1 million Charities Lottery Grant towards the £2 million Hospice 2000 Appeal. The bid was turned down by a national committee.

A lottery charities board spokeswoman said today that the travellers' trust had been running for seven years to improve the quality of life for travellers in York. It provided advice and support, assisted with literacy and training and built up confidence and links with other organisations in communities that often felt isolated.

She said the hospice application had been judged by a national committee against other bids from across the country, some of which, including one in Bradford, had been approved. The fact that £1 million was being sought was taken into account, because approval would have meant many smaller schemes being turned down.

The travellers trust co-ordinator Tony White said today he was very pleased to have won the bid, saying the money would make a huge difference to the lives of members of York's largest ethnic minority.

But he expressed disappointment that the hospice had not also been successful. "They do a tremendous job that nobody else can do. I really wouldn't like to be in the lottery's shoes when it comes to deciding which groups get the money."

Regional awards committee chairwoman Elaine Appelbee said voluntary groups were in the front line in tackling poverty and disadvantage in our communities but struggled to survive without the right support.

"So, from today, we are encouraging organisations to develop projects that will offer a range of information, advice, training, networking and technical support to community groups."

Vale of York MP Anne McIntosh said today she felt the hospice was a "worthier cause," and the travellers' trust should benefit from council grants rather than lottery handouts.

However, Ryedale MP John Greenway gave qualified support for the travellers' application but said one could reasonably expect that if the hospice was asking for money, it desperately needed it, and he hoped St Leonard's would not give up trying again.

York MP Hugh Bayley declined to comment on the travellers' grant but said he would be willing to help the hospice by looking into the reasons it was refused money.

Other grants announced today include: £47,650 for a refurbishment of Goathland Parish Hall, £117,682 to extend and improve Chop Gate Village Hall, north of Helmsley, £130,975 to build extra facilities at Northdale Horticulture of Hambleton and £1,000 to buy new equipment for Bluebells Pre-School playgroup of York.

See Hospice section

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.