The Millennium Commission today (Wednesday 31^st October) launched its Annual Report for 2000-2001. The report focuses particularly on independent evaluations into the economic and social benefits of the investment of Millennium Commission lottery money, the first comprehensive studies of this nature to have been undertaken by a lottery distributor.

The Year 2000-2001 has been crucial for the Millennium Commission. It has seen unprecedented success for projects across the country. A huge range of award winning projects have come on line from the ?blinking eye? Gateshead Millennium Bridge, the Eden Project in Cornwall, Magna in Rotherham and hundreds of community centres, woodlands and green spaces across the UK. The Millennium Award scheme for individuals has made over 5,000 awards of around £3,000 to individuals who are realising their personal potential whilst putting something back into the community.

This year has also seen projects building on the success of previous years. Our Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh and the Lowry in Salford both welcomed their one millionth visitor, the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff hosted the FA Cup Final in May 2000 and Tate Modern in London welcomed over 5 million visitors in its first year ? making it the most successful modern art museum in the world.

The Rt. Hon Tessa Jowell MP, Chair of the Millennium Commission said, "The year 2000-2001 has been an exciting and momentous time for the Millennium Commission, which has supported a wonderful array of projects and schemes marking the millennium. The Commission?s investment of lottery money has ignited celebrations, united communities, opened up centres for education and wonder, created woodlands, parks, cycle paths and village halls, brought much needed regeneration to our cities and villages alike and much more."

The new report outlines the work of the Commission across its four funding initiatives:

• Capital projects -sixty projects were completed out of the 200 the Commission has funded, bringing the total so far open to the public to around 150. Many have been high profile projects such as the internationally renowned Eden Project in Cornwall and Magna, the science adventure centre in Rotherham which won the Stirling prize 2001. In addition to large scale projects, hundreds of smaller initiatives around the UK were completed and are now making a big difference to local communities with new woodlands, cycle paths and community centres.

An Economic Impact Assessmentū on the work of the Commission revealed that:

• The capital projects portfolio has constituted 1.35% of the total UK construction industry by value since 1994.
• An estimated 13,300 permanent jobs were created overall.
• 73% of capital projects would not have gone ahead without Commission funding.

• Millennium Award scheme -around 5,500 small grants have been given to individuals across the UK to put a bright idea into practice to benefit themselves and their wider community through the Millennium Award Scheme. This brings the total amount of Awards given out to 20,000. A unique and diverse range of projects have been undertaken from converting derelict land into a community garden, setting up a support group for homeless people to establishing a youth group on an inner city estate.

A Social Impact Studyż on the Millennium Award Scheme has revealed that:

• 70% of Millennium Award recipients wanted to continue their work beyond the Award funding period.
• 81% said their project has been a success for their local community.
• 90% of Millennium Award winners said their project has been a personal success.
• On average, Award winners spend 144 working days on their projects, which equates to 32 million hours of work for all Award winners.

• Millennium Festival -the Millennium Festival was the largest year-long festival ever seen in the UK. In total, around 20 million people enjoyed over 2,200 Commission funded events across the UK during the year 2000. These events ranged from large city-wide celebrations involving hundreds of thousands of people to small scale local projects.

An Impact Assessmentū on the Millennium Festival has shown that:

• 20% of Millennium Festivals increased local business activity.
• 80% of larger Festivals created full-time employment.
• 88% of Festivals increased community pride.
• 95% of Festivals strengthened links within their community.

• Millennium Experience -From a standing start, the Millennium Dome became the second most popular visitor attraction in Europe and attracted 6.5 million people whose overwhelming response was positive with visitor satisfaction levels of 85%. Despite attracting fewer visitors than hoped for the Dome has regenerated the Greenwich Peninsula ? previously the largest derelict site in southern England.

The next few years will see around 50 more projects coming on line around the UK including the Deep in Hull, the aquarium for the future, Manchester Millennium Quarter featuring the new exhibition Urbis and the Millennium Link in Scotland including the remarkable Falkirk Wheel. A further 12,000 individuals still have the opportunity to make their mark in the new millennium by applying for a Millennium Award to help themselves and their community.

-ends-

1 Report conducted by Gardiner & Theobald and Jura Consultants.

2 Report undertaken by Annabel Jackson Associates.

 

1. The Millennium Commission is one of the good causes funded by the National Lottery.

2. The Millennium Commission has supported:

• Around 200 new buildings, environmental projects and visitor attractions on over 3000 sites across the UK.
• A UK-wide programme of community festivals which began on New Year?s Eve 1999 and culminated on New Year?s Eve 2000 with celebrations in 32 towns and cities across the UK.
• The Millennium Experience at Greenwich and the National Programme.

2. The Millennium Commission also works with over 100 Awards Partner organisations to distribute Millennium Awards to individuals for community based projects. 20,000 people have already received a Millennium Award and there are still thousands of Awards available. Further information is available on 0800 06801 2000.

 

For further information and media copies of the Annual Report contact the Millennium Commission Press Office on 020 7880 2007, out of hours 07775 573263. The Millennium Commission web sites can be accessed atwww.millennium.gov.uk andwww.starpeople.org.uk

Copies of the Annual Report can be obtained from The Stationary Office, PO Box 29, Norwich NR3 1GN, tel 0870 600 5522.

 

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Copyright © 2000 The Millennium Commission  

Millennium Commission  31st-October-2001
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