Four charities in Merton have been awarded Twenty Eight thousand pounds of National Lottery money after successful applications to the Big Lottery Fund.

Merton children will benefit from two new arts projects and sixteen thousand pounds of funding.
The first is located at the Polka Theatre and aims to improve self-esteem in local children aged 9-11 who are at risk of social exclusion, by running workshops and a drama summer school to get them to engage with education.

The second is the Ice and Fire theatre company, which is running a play project for children from a refugee background. The project works in partnership with Merton Asylum Welcome to offer creative play opportunities for children who face language or cultural barriers to participation.

The Bridges Foundation has been set up to improve the lives of disadvantaged families and raise educational standards by organising a series of sessions in healthy eating, IT and parenting skills. The initiative is especially useful for lone parents, young-adult parents, families living in temporary accommodation; it will benefit from over eight thousand pounds of new funding.

Merton and Sutton Mediation is a new group set up in partnership with Sutton Borough council to provide and promote mediation services within the two boroughs.
Up to 80% of disputes can be solved using accredited third party mediators and training is available for volunteers.

Councillor David Williams said
“Vulnerable children and families require extra support and that’s especially true during a recession, so this Lottery funding for charities in Merton could not come at a better time”.