A car mechanics course for young disabled people in Birmingham is just one of dozens of West Midlands projects to secure National Lottery good cause funding.

Some 35 projects across the region are sharing in more than £290k from the Big Lottery Fund’s Awards for All programme.

Queen Alexandra College, a specialist college for people with visual impairment and other disabilities based in Harborne, Birmingham, has been awarded £9,978 to run the ABC Car Mechanics project. This will offer new learning experiences in car maintenance to young people at the college, helping to develop numeracy, literacy and employment skills.

Aaron Bell, ABC Car Mechanics Project Leader, said: “Through the ABC Car mechanics project, we will be offering a service which both contributes to the local community, showing the “ability in disability” and challenging social inequalities by providing the opportunity to learn a trade and gain experience in the motor vehicle industry to our service users, who may not otherwise be able to participate.”

New College Worcester is awarded £9,953 to purchase outdoor play equipment for children who are blind or partially sighted.  This will improve the facilities and enable beneficiaries to participate in playtime activities. And Update (Stoke on Trent) receives £9,850 to provide a weekly talking newspaper for blind and partially sighted people in the area.

Other projects to secure funding this month include Gateway To Success in Sandwell which receives £10,000 to run monthly health checks, exercise and healthy eating sessions for the community to help improve overall wellbeing, and Silver Toppers, awarded £2,427 to run activities for older people who are isolated in Birmingham. This will encourage the beneficiaries to live a more active lifestyle to improve their health and wellbeing, increase confidence, build relationships and reduce isolation.

John Taylor, Big Lottery Fund’s Head of the West Midlands region, said: “I am delighted that Big Lottery Fund good cause cash is giving a kick start to projects across the West Midlands this New Year. From enabling disabled young people to learn new skills to helping isolated older people stay healthy, a host of deserving schemes receive Awards for All funding today. I hope these grants encourage other groups in the region to come up with more great ideas for funding.”

BIG’s Awards for All programme offers grants of between £300 and £10,000 to social and environmental projects that will benefit local communities and make a difference to the lives of those most in need. Voluntary and community groups, schools, health organisations and parish and town councils can all apply.

See list below for list of successful applicants.