Diabetes UK Northern Ireland has received funding of £447,487 from the National Lottery Community Fund in support of its ‘engaging communities’ project.
Supporting people living with diabetes across Northern Ireland, the five-year project will involve a combination of face-to-face and online engagement events.
These events will be geared towards increasing participants’ understanding and confidence in managing their condition and learning more about how they can live well with diabetes.
As part of the project, the charity will launch a series of support networks for people across the region living with type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes – including awareness sessions, Live Well Hubs, peer support groups, and wellbeing programmes.
Commenting on the grant funding, Diabetes UK Northern Ireland National Director, Tina McCrossan, said:
"We’re very pleased to have received the support of the National Lottery Community Fund for this vitally important project which will offer further advice and guidance to the 108,000 people here in Northern Ireland who are living with the condition.
“In addition to facilitating a greater understanding of diabetes and fostering relationships between the diabetes communities and their healthcare providers, community organisations and employers, this project will also raise awareness of the risks associated with type 2 diabetes.
"In Northern Ireland, an estimated 376,000 people are at increased risk of developing serious health conditions, including type 2 diabetes, based on their body measurements.
“We are delighted to have the opportunity to provide additional support to those who need it in our local communities – we have a fantastic, hard-working team on board who look forward to implementing this project over the next five years.”
Diabetes UK Northern Ireland is one of 153 community organisations across the region to have received funding from the National Lottery Community Fund.
Kate Beggs, Northern Ireland Director of The National Lottery Community Fund, said:
“We’re delighted to support this project which is raising awareness of diabetes and improving people’s knowledge and understanding of the condition.
“National Lottery players raise more than £30 million every week across the UK for good causes like this, and they can be proud to know that it is making such a difference to people in Northern Ireland.”
Read more about what Diabetes UK in Northern Ireland are working on.
