Charities across Wolverhampton are celebrating after being awarded £427,523 over the next three years from The National Lottery Community Fund to deliver a new project, Connect for Change.
The initiative will be led by Good Shepherd, working alongside fellow charities Changing Lives, Refugee and Migrant Centre (RMC), and Wolves Foundation.
The three-year project will support people from inclusion health groups across Wolverhampton. This includes people experiencing homelessness, addiction, vulnerable migrants, people involved in the justice system, and others facing multiple disadvantage.
Connect for Change will deliver a coordinated programme of group activities and community-based support across the city. The project aims to bring people together, reduce social isolation, and improve mental health and wellbeing.
Activities will take place in community settings across Wolverhampton, including at partner venues and local hubs, making it easier for people to access support. The programme will offer a wide range of opportunities, including peer support groups, wellbeing sessions, skills workshops and sport-based activities. These sessions will be co-designed with participants to reflect their needs, strengths and lived experiences.
The project is based on the Five Ways to Wellbeing framework and aims to help people build confidence, develop skills and strengthen social connections. By taking part, people will be supported to take positive steps towards recovery, independence and greater involvement in their community.
The funding will support delivery from June 2026, with activities running through to 2029.
Pictured left to right Rachel Smith, Wolves Foundation Steven Bayliss RMC, Leanne Harper Changing Lives, Sam Lawton Changing lives, Lee Smith Good Shepherd, Mark Cullen RMC.
Lee Smith, Operations Manager at Good Shepherd, the lead organisation for the project, said:
“We’re delighted that The National Lottery Community Fund has awarded funding for Connect for Change. On behalf of all our partners, we’re really excited to bring this project to Wolverhampton.
“Together, we’ll create opportunities that bring people together, build confidence and support people to take positive steps forward in their lives.
“Thanks to National Lottery players, we can work collaboratively to deliver inclusive, community-based activities that make a real difference and builds a stronger sense of belonging across the city.”
Notes to editors
National Lottery players raise over £32 million a week for good causes across the UK. Thanks to them, The National Lottery Community Fund distributes over £600 million a year through over 13,000 grants. The funder plans to invest over £4 billion of funding into communities by 2030. It supports projects across the whole of the UK to turn their truly life-changing ideas into reality. To find out more visit The National Lottery Community Fund website.