An Ammanford mental health charity, established in memory of a young man who took his own life, is in the running to be crowned National Lottery Project of the Year.
The Jac Lewis Foundation in Ammanford beat off more than 1,300 organisations to reach the public voting stage in this year’s National Lottery Awards.
The awards celebrate the inspirational people and projects which do extraordinary things with the help of National Lottery funding.
The foundation is one of 17 shortlisted finalists from across the UK, all of which will compete in a four-week public vote until October 7 to be named the National Lottery Project of the Year.
Winners will receive a £5,000 cash prize for their project and an iconic National Lottery Awards trophy.
The Jac Lewis Foundation was set up in memory of Jac, a young footballer and carpenter who took his own life aged 27 in 2019, after five years of struggling with his mental health.
The charity, set up by Jac’s father and teammates from Ammanford AFC, helps people obtain quick access to mental health support, as well as providing counselling for families bereaved by suicide.
Since opening in December 2020, the team has supported over 1,600 adults and children with its telephone support, one-to-one counselling, wellbeing workshops, and mental health one stop hub.
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Anthony Rees, chair of trustees at the Jac Lewis Foundation, said: “We’re blown away to have reached the finals of the Project of the Year category in the National Lottery Awards 2022.
“Jac’s tragic death affected so many people in Ammanford, and we’re determined to ensure that no-one else in our community feels like life is not worth living.
“It’s amazing to see people recognising the importance of this message by nominating the Jac Lewis Foundation and selecting us as a finalist.”
Jonathan Tuchner, from the National Lottery, added: “The Jac Lewis Foundation is doing some incredible work in the community and thoroughly deserve to be in the finals of the National Lottery Awards Project of the Year 2022. With your support, they could be a winner.”
To vote, visit lotterygoodcauses.org.uk/awards, or use the Twitter hashtag #NLAJacLewis.
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