Veterans' charity looking forward to National Lottery Awards final

Specialising in care homes for veterans, the charity Erskine Veterans Charity has joined the UK’s favourite Lottery-funded projects in the final stage of this year’s National Lottery Awards, having captured public sentiment with its ‘Erskine Celebrates the Commonwealth Games’ project.

The charity, which has care homes located in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Bishopton and Erskine, emerged from a list of 620 organisations, after running events at all of its five care homes that allowed residents to compete in their own versions of Commonwealth Games events, alongside a number of sporting and craft activities.

Chief executive of Erskine, Steve Conway, comments: “I am delighted that Erskine has reached the final of the National Lottery Awards. The Erskine Commonwealth Games – which we held thanks to Lottery funding – was a tremendous success and all of our veterans enjoyed taking part in new sporting and cultural activities. It is wonderful that all the hard work and dedication that went into organising the games is being recognised.” Finalists of the National Lottery Awards will be featured at a BBC event to be broadcast in September, with winners receiving a £2,000 cash prize and an iconic trophy.

TV star and actor John Barrowman, who will be presenting the National Lottery Awards for the fifth time this year, says: “The exceptionally selfless work carried out by National Lottery Awards finalists never fails to astound me. Their work deserves to be celebrated nationally; the community spirit, social cohesion and compassion.

“It is crucial that you show your support for your local project so it can get the national glory that it richly deserves. National Lottery players should swell with pride that £34 million of Lottery funding is raised every single week for projects like this across the UK.”

To vote for Erskine Celebrates the Commonwealth Games, visit http://www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk/project/erskine-celebrates-commonwealth-games