The National Lottery Community Fund is one of the twelve dedicated funds of the National Lottery, and is among the largest funders of community activity in the UK. They distribute over £600m a year to communities across the UK raised by players of the National Lottery. 

We are delighted to announce that we have been granted funding from the National Lottery Community Fund to support our core costs and the continuation of two of our workshop groups: Aiming High and Met Express! 

One of our main priorities when planning for the coming months was securing the future of our workshop groups. Our outreach work is designed to reach those most in need in our communities, and Met Express and Aiming High use the performing arts to support adults with learning disabilities and children with autism. These groups have always been funded through donations and grants, and we were aware of the challenge we faced in raising enough money for the groups to continue with additional safety measures in place. We’re so grateful to the National Lottery Community Fund for supporting this aspect of our work, and ensuring that regardless of how the current situation develops, we can continue to bring culture to our community at such an important time.  

Obtaining core funding to sustain us during our temporary closure has also been crucial in enabling us to continue our work. Through our partnership with United We Stream, work with the GM Artist Support Hub, commitment to transferring our core workshop groups online, and the creation of our independent streaming programme, we have remained at the forefront of Greater Manchester’s cultural response to the pandemic. This funding will allow us to develop our ideas even further, and ensure we can continue to support our audiences in new and exciting ways during this crisis, and beyond. 

To stay up to date with our workshop groups and how they’re getting on, keep an eye on our Facebook page and the News section of our website, where we post regular updates. If you’re interested in supporting our work you can find out more here, or contact info@themet.org.uk.