The biggest distributor of lottery funds have warned that charities will feel a massive impact if more money is diverted to pay for the 2012 Olympics. The fund pays around 600 million to good causes and may well be asked to pay more towards the 900 million Olympic park. Basically if more money is diverted this will affect around 86,000 grants that rely on lottery fund money.
In the original Olympics budget it was agreed the national lottery would provide 1.5 billion of funds, £625 million would come from London council tax and another £250 million from the London development agency. Then Tessa Jowell admitted last September an extra £900 million was needed because of the rising cost of steel etc.
The Department of culture media and sport said its up for debate but added that a memo of understanding drawn up in 2003 stated that the government should share the cost with everyone involved, should extra funding be needed. Mayor of London Ken Livingstone has ruled out the idea of getting more money from council taxes because currently councils are being used to set up silly workshops to teach immigrants English and other improvements that are Olympics orientated.
So, small nationwide businesses that employ handicapped people and charities that provide for the underprivileged could very well go to the wall. It made me sick to the core when I saw an old metal workshop in Stroud that have been converted into a craft business and is run by people with learning problems may have to close because money won’t be available. The craft business may not be a massive concern but to the people with learning problems it is their life, their purpose and their chance to give something to society. 86,000 such like units and causes could be affected – so in turn how many lives could be affected from that?
Whitehall is of course regarded as not really understanding the lottery, it likes to dab into it when it see’s fit and regards the Olympics as being more beneficial in the long run. Though I’ve no doubt the capital (and more of the capital alone), businesses and others will indeed benefit financially from the 2012 Olympics it seems the rest can go and whistle.
But look at the big picture, all that money for something that lasts about 4 weeks, most of us watching a majority of athletes that are well paid (though I agree some from some corners of the globe are not). The medals are dished out and then it gets consigned to history, whilst some of the disadvantaged and disabled could well be consigned to oblivion for the rest of their lives.
Would I rather see a piece of art done by an autistic child that benefits from the lottery fund or would I rather see someone break the 100 metres hurdle record?
I think you know the answer.
The Department of culture media and sport said its up for debate but added that a memo of understanding drawn up in 2003 stated that the government should share the cost with everyone involved, should extra funding be needed. Mayor of London Ken Livingstone has ruled out the idea of getting more money from council taxes because currently councils are being used to set up silly workshops to teach immigrants English and other improvements that are Olympics orientated.
So, small nationwide businesses that employ handicapped people and charities that provide for the underprivileged could very well go to the wall. It made me sick to the core when I saw an old metal workshop in Stroud that have been converted into a craft business and is run by people with learning problems may have to close because money won’t be available. The craft business may not be a massive concern but to the people with learning problems it is their life, their purpose and their chance to give something to society. 86,000 such like units and causes could be affected – so in turn how many lives could be affected from that?
Whitehall is of course regarded as not really understanding the lottery, it likes to dab into it when it see’s fit and regards the Olympics as being more beneficial in the long run. Though I’ve no doubt the capital (and more of the capital alone), businesses and others will indeed benefit financially from the 2012 Olympics it seems the rest can go and whistle.
But look at the big picture, all that money for something that lasts about 4 weeks, most of us watching a majority of athletes that are well paid (though I agree some from some corners of the globe are not). The medals are dished out and then it gets consigned to history, whilst some of the disadvantaged and disabled could well be consigned to oblivion for the rest of their lives.
Would I rather see a piece of art done by an autistic child that benefits from the lottery fund or would I rather see someone break the 100 metres hurdle record?
I think you know the answer.
Channel 4 news article is here
Video is here
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