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July 2006

Pie Factory Music, which has filled over 35,000 music workshops spaces in East Kent, has been selected from hundreds of other Lottery funded projects to reach the South East’s final of The National Lottery Awards 2006.

The project is one of four chosen by a panel of high profile judges to go head to head in a public vote to claim the title of the South East’s National Lottery Project of the Year. The winner will earn a place in the UK final, set to be broadcast on national television later in the year.
Pie Factory Music was formed as the Thanet branch of the Youth Music Action Zone project, one of 24 Zones which encourages young people to get involved in music across the country. With the help of £1 million of Lottery funding from Arts Council England it provides rehearsal rooms and a studio where young people can get their hands on state of the art equipment and work alongside professional DJ’s, musicians, songwriters and producers. They also provide a wide range of other music workshops such as, steel drumming, singing, African drumming, brass, strings, rock school and early years.

Workshops and taster sessions are held in their rented building, local schools, outreach in community centres and village halls. Live performances, music productions and film give participants the opportunity to show off their talents. Music is a great tool for motivation and self-esteem, as one beneficiary said: “It’s not that I necessarily think I’m gonna be a musician, but I can see now that I have choices.”
Now Pie Factory Music needs your help to be in with a chance of winning. The winning Lottery funded project from the South East will be chosen by public vote.  The South East project with the most votes will go forward to the UK final to compete against winning projects from other English regions, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.

To register your vote for Pie Factory Music call ENTER VOTING NUMBER FOR PROJECT or log on to www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk and click on National Lottery Awards.  Voting lines are open now and close 11 August 2006.

Representatives from the winning South East project will attend the UK awards ceremony where the overall winners will be announced. The BBC will showcase this during The National Lottery Draw programme on National Lottery Day later this Autumn.

The other three South East finalists competing for the title are The Phoenix (a groundbreaking community and sports centre in Sutton), Your Local Cinema (a group helping the visually and hearing impaired access cinema), and Post Pals (a group founded by children which sends cards, letters and gifts to seriously ill children). 

Since The National Lottery began in 1994, more than £18.5 billion has been raised for good causes and over 240,000 grants given out across arts, sport, heritage, charities, health, education and the environment. The National Lottery Awards recognise the hard work and dedication of people who use Lottery funding to make a difference to communities across the UK. 

For further media information please contact:
Clare Richardson
T: 020 7299 8766
E: clare.richardson@geronimocommunications.com
or Nicola Green
T: 0207 299 8764
nicola.green@geronimocommunications.com


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Notes to Editor:

1. Calls to vote are charged at a BT local landline cost of 1.5p
2. For more information please visit The National Lottery Good Causes website: www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk
3. For every pound spent on The National Lottery, 28p goes to good causes
4. An independent panel of high profile judges chose the shortlisted projects. The panel included Jonathan Edwards, Sir Terence Conran and Polly Toynbee