Big boost for peace foundation

VICTIMS of violent conflict will continue to be supported by Warrington based Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace, thanks to its successful bid for Big Lottery funding for the next two years of nearly £300,000.
Foundation for Peace co-founder, Colin Parry said: “This is a tremendous boost to the work of the Foundation. Like all charities, we are operating in an increasingly difficult economic climate. But this support by the Big Lottery Fund is valuable in more than financial terms; it’s a confidence vote in the work that we do. This funding will help us continue the Foundation’s unique approach to supporting victims and others affected by conflict to turn their challenging and painful experiences into positive opportunities for personal and community development.”
The Foundation was founded in 1995 following the tragic deaths of 12-year-old Tim and three-year-old Johnathan in the IRA bombing of Warrington in 1993. The Foundation aims to promote the understanding, management and non-violent resolution of conflict.
It is the only UK organisation which supports victims and survivors of political violence, conflict and acts of terror through the provision of learning programmes which explore the causes and effects of conflict and its resolution through non violent means.
The programmes focus on conflict resolution, the development of leadership and advocacy skills, opportunities for constructive dialogue between potentially conflicting parties and the sharing of experiences within a safe, supportive environment .
This funding represents a continuation of the support which the Big Lottery Fund has given the Foundation since 2008. Over the last three years, the Foundation’s programmes have helped nearly 300 people, survivors of the Northern Ireland ‘Troubles’, the bombings in London and Sharm-el-Sheik, 9/11 and worldwide conflicts including Iraq and Afghanistan.