UTV Viewers To Vote For Lottery Projects

Community groups around NI have been chosen to take part in a nationwide TV competition to win lottery cash.

The People's Millions 2010, which takes place at the end of November (22-25), will see community groups across the UK go head-to-head in a bid to win a Big Lottery Fund award for their good causes.

Each night two groups will make their bid for viewers' support to take home up to £50,000, with the public voting by phone to decide who wins the prize.

There are five, £50,000 awards up for grabs in the region - one award for each night, and a bonus award for the runner up who receives the most phone votes across the week.

This is the sixth year that the Big Lottery Fund and UTV have given the public the chance to choose where the Lottery good cause cash goes in their region.

In the Ulster Television (UTV) region, a range of community projects across NI, including Antrim, Omagh, Belfast, Carrickfergus, Down and Newry are hoping to win the grant to make major improvements to their local environment.

Over the last five years the programme has handed out more than £1.2 million to 22 projects across Northern Ireland.

Previous winners have been using their awards to make their local communities better places to live.

Voting numbers will be available on the day the projects are due to appear on UTV with Telephone voting lines opening at 9am on each day and winners announced the following day.

ITV broadcast regions in The People's Millions are ITV Anglia; ITV Border; ITV Central; ITV Granada; ITV London; ITV Meridian East of region; ITV Meridian West of the region; ITV Tyne Tees; ITV Wales; ITV West; ITV Westcountry; ITV Yorkshire; stv Central; stv North and UTV.

Frank Hewitt, Big Lottery Fund's NI Chair, said: "Each year The People's Millions showcases the great work that groups are doing to make a real difference in their local communities.

"This year is going to be even more difficult to choose between the good causes up for the public vote. We want UTV viewers to throw their support behind the project they think has got the community X-Factor. Every vote counts," he explained.

Michael Wilson, Managing Director UTV, said: "UTV and the Big Lottery Fund have established a strong working relationship and we are delighted once again to support The People's Millions.

"We have helped give away grants totalling more than £1.2 million to local projects.

"That money has helped enhance the lives of many people in communities across Northern Ireland and this year we look forward to playing our part in awarding more grants which will total up to £250,000."

(BMcC/GK)