23/11/11

By Andrew Holt

Maureen McGinn has been appointed as the new chair of Big Lottery Fund’s Scotland Committee and UK Board Member, Francis Maude, minister for the Cabinet Office announced today.

The Big Lottery Fund will invest approximately £327.5million in Scotland’s communities between 2010 and 2015, that’s over £1m a week.

It is the largest distributor of National Lottery good cause funding in the UK.

Since June 2004, the Big Lottery Fund has awarded over £4.4bn to projects supporting health, education, environment and charitable purposes across the UK.

As chair of the Big Lottery Fund’s Scotland Committee, Maureen McGinn will set the strategic direction for funding programmes in Scotland.

Francis Maude, minister for the Cabinet Office, said: “I am pleased to welcome Maureen McGinn as the chair of the Big Lottery Fund’s Scotland Committee and UK Board Member. Her extensive experience will enable her to provide strong leadership in this important role. I’ve no doubt that Maureen will help deliver real benefits to people in Scotland.”

Scottish Government minister, John Swinney, cabinet secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth, said: “I’m delighted that Maureen McGinn has accepted this important position. She will bring a great deal of experience to the role, given her knowledge of and involvement in, the Big Lottery Fund and Scotland Committee so far. I look forward to working with her in the future.”

Maureen McGinn, chair of the Big Lottery Fund Scotland Committee and UK Board Member said: “I have greatly enjoyed being a member of the Scotland Committee over the past four years.

"It is an honour to be asked to lead such a committed team in working with staff, partners and funded organisations to make a difference to communities across Scotland. I also welcome the opportunity to work collaboratively with colleagues from across the UK as a member of Big Lottery Fund's UK Board.”

Maureen McGinn has been a member of the Big Lottery Fund Scotland Committee since March 2007.

She is currently an advisor on social justice to the Paul Hamlyn Foundation and a member of the steering group of the Partnership Drugs Initiative of Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland.

Her past grant making experience also includes running the Laidlaw Youth Trust which promoted partnership working between charities supporting children and vulnerable young people in Scotland.

Her earlier career included periods working for a charity, a trade union and in central and local government.

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