£7m Big Lottery funding to tackle alcohol abuse

The money will tackle a range of issues around alcohol abuse

The Big Lottery Fund is giving £7m in grants to help tackle alcohol abuse in Northern Ireland.

The money is to be split between the five health and social care trusts, who will distribute it to organisations in their respective areas.

It is to be used to tackle a range of issues that result from alcohol misuse.

They include older people who are chronic drinkers and women whose lives have been affected by alcohol related domestic violence.

Frank Hewitt, the Big Lottery Fund's NI chair, said: "We are supporting grass roots or community-based projects that will play a key role in tackling alcohol misuse in Northern Ireland.

"By working with the health and social care trusts, we are building on existing experience and expertise in this area and using this funding to tackle the range of issues that have resulted from alcohol misuse including health difficulties, post and pre-natal harm, violence, family issues and debt."

NI Youth Forum is one of the projects to benefit.

Its director Chris Quinn said: "Our job is all about promoting the voice of young people.

"The first people we start with our work is decision-making at a personal level and then through our work with young people we would hope they could engage at societal and community levels.

"So this funding will focus on engaging with young people to increase their capacity to make better decisions."

The Big Lottery Fund here is giving 7 million pounds in grants to help tackle alcohol abuse. The money is to be split between the five health and social care trusts, who will distribute it to organisations in their respective areas.