Belford waffle makers hoping for the sweet taste of lottery success

A Belford charity supporting people with learning disabilities is in line to receive nearly £50,000 '“ but it needs your vote.
Belford's Waffling On project.Belford's Waffling On project.
Belford's Waffling On project.

The Waffling On Hits the Road project by SpLinter Group is one of five schemes – and the only one in Northumberland – shortlisted for a competition running on ITV Tyne Tees this week.

If successful, the group will receive £49,860 to expand its project supporting people with learning disabilities to gain new skills and confidence through running a waffle stall.

The Belford-based Splinter Group and its Waffling On project.The Belford-based Splinter Group and its Waffling On project.
The Belford-based Splinter Group and its Waffling On project.
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The stall will be taken to more venues and events so the public and employers better understand and include people with learning disabilities.

Participants will learn about things like health and safety, food hygiene and customer service to improve their job prospects. The group will also offer practical support to employers.

A group spokesman said: “If we won £50k, we would be able to get our message to a much wider audience. Our plan is to buy an eye-catching mobile kitchen where we can keep our waffle-making equipment safe, and easily transport it to more and different venues. That way we can reach more people, for instance at summer festivals and along the north east coast.”

Waffling On is to show people – members of the public and employers – what people with specific learning differences such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, autism and ADHD are capable of.

The Belford-based Splinter Group and its Waffling On project.The Belford-based Splinter Group and its Waffling On project.
The Belford-based Splinter Group and its Waffling On project.
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“We want to encourage people to understand and include people like us better, by trying our quiz (try it at www.wafflingon.estechco.co.uk) and hearing our stories as we make and sell waffles from a new mobile kitchen,” said the spokesman. “We will make a difference by giving people like us more confidence, skills and chances, and making communities and workplaces safer and more equal for everyone.”

The competition to allocate £3million has been organised by Big Lottery Fund with ITV and The National Lottery. The Big Lottery Fund wanted to celebrate some of the incredible projects it has funded and has worked with ITV to shortlist 95 projects across the UK.

The three projects with the most public votes will receive grants of up to £50,000. Voting closes at midday on Sunday, March 13. To vote, go to www.thepeoplesprojects.org.uk