Big Lottery funding for Cartwheel Arts

Cartwheel Arts, Scribfest 2013

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Tell Us Another One, the community creative writing programme devised and run by Heywood based charity Cartwheel Arts, has been awarded £324,141 over three years from Big Lottery Fund's 'Reaching Communities' programme.

The award will enable the company to deliver a further chapter of their 'adventure in creative writing with diverse communities'.

The Big Lottery funding means that Tell Us Another One will continue to support monthly creative writing groups for adults in six low income communities around three boroughs: Rochdale, Bury and Oldham, as well as establishing three new groups. These groups are free and accessible to all members of the community and are facilitated by Cartwheel staff and experienced professional writers.

Previous participants have seen their work published in numerous high quality publications including the quarterly magazine Scribble. They have also performed at the annual Scribble Festival alongside star writers including Jackie Kay, Lemn Sissay and Robert McCrum.

The new funding will also help the organisation to develop a programme of work with older people, aimed to bridge the 'digital divide' to give older members of the community greater confidence with technology. There will also be a new strand of work with young people aimed at setting up young writers groups in each borough. Over 1,000 people in Rochdale, Oldham and Bury will benefit from the grassroots programme over the three years.

Rick Walker, Director of Cartwheel Arts, is delighted by the news: "It is wonderful to hear that we are going to be able to continue and develop this brilliant project. It has had a huge impact on our participants, many of whom have been waiting anxiously for good news, so it's a great day for all of us."