Ten UK-based organisations have been named as semi-finalists in the Best Charity/Voluntary Project category of The National Lottery Awards 2009.

The National Lottery Awards are an annual search to find the UK’s favourite Lottery-funded projects.

The public are being urged to show their support by casting a vote and helping their favourite organisations in the running make it through to the next stage of the Awards.

The category is being supported by Woman magazine, which will feature all ten of the semi-finalists in the Best Charity Voluntary Projects category in its upcoming issue and online.

The ten projects are:

•Angus Care and Repair's Small Repairs Service
• Belfast Adventure Learning Park
• Family Sign & Support
• Fledglings
• Harbour Place Day Centre
• Harmless
• Out of School Clubs for Young People with Autism
• Partners in Politics
• Sue's Place: The Newark and Notts Child Bereavement and Loss Centre
• The Bread Maker

The winning projects, across seven award categories, will receive national recognition on a special BBC 1 TV show later this year, and a £2,000 cash prize to spend on their project.

This year’s National Lottery Awards are supported by broadcaster, Jackie Brambles.

She said: “This year, The National Lottery is celebrating its 15th Anniversary. Since it began, Lottery players have raised - £25 million per week for Good Causes and the Awards recognise the amazing talent and hard work of the people involved in running many amazing projects.”

Now in their sixth successful year, The National Lottery Awards recognise the difference that Lottery-funded projects – both big and small – make to local communities, and celebrate the achievements of the people behind them.

Voting for the semi-finals started at 9am on Monday 22 June and ends at midday on Friday 10 July. For further information, and to register a vote, go to www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk/awards

The three projects in each category with the most number of votes will go through to the finals of the Awards and another round of public voting later in August.