Leading Cheltenham-based charity, Lives of Colour, has been awarded a substantial grant from The National Lottery's Community Fund.
It will receive a total of £154,021 across two years to help the organisation continue its important work on inclusivity and empowerment within the local community in Gloucestershire.
The charity's work involves elevating ethnically and culturally diverse voices through education, training and events, offering a non-judgemental and collaborative approach with other organisations to facilitate open conversations about inclusivity and empower them to engage with diverse audiences.
It runs a variety of successful initiatives already, including mentorship programme Young, Leading and Black; wellbeing programme Swimmers of Colour; women's textile group Fabrics of Colour, in partnership with Superdry; and Cheltenham's only community-led, free cultural festival, with support from Cheltenham Borough Council and Spirax-Sarco.
The new grant funding will go towards three key areas: providing out-of-school education support for young people from racial minority communities, to empower and uplift them with opportunities tailored to their unique needs; co-ordinating the Cheltenham Alliance for Race Equality to address racial justice and promote systemic change across Gloucestershire; and supporting the core development of the charity itself, ensuring it has the capacity and resources it needs to expand its impact and reach.
Founder and CEO of Lives of Colour, Florence Nyasamo Thomas, said: 'We are incredibly grateful to The National Lottery Fund for their generous support.
'This grant will enable us to further our mission of creating a more inclusive society where everyone feels valued and represented.
'This grant will allow us to deepen our impact and reach within the community, fostering a more inclusive and welcoming environment for all.'
Trustee Sarah Pickering added: 'This grant is a real testament to all the amazing initiatives launched by the Lives of Colour team.
'This is an exciting new chapter for the organisation, and this funding will really benefit people within Gloucestershire.'
