Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to help the Beachy Head Chaplaincy team to continue its work in preventing suicides on the cliffs; and in particular whether they will assist it to receive lottery, European Union and voluntary grants.

We are keen to recognise the valuable role played by organisations such as the Beachy Head Chaplaincy Team (BHCT). The charity was recently awarded the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

Government has been working with the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) and the Big Lottery Fund to enable more local Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations to access the new round of European Structural and Investment Funds. Funding decisions will be a matter for Big Lottery Fund.

BCHT may wish to consider applying for Big Lottery Fund programmes, such as the ‘Reaching Communities’ programme in England, which provides funding for projects that help people and communities most in need.

Cabinet Office officials are currently consulting on a proposed £40m fund for 2015/16 to help charities and social enterprises become more sustainable.