Isolated refugee children, patients with incurable blood cancer, and families facing hardship are amongst those benefitting from donations to five Edinburgh charities – totalling £18,300 – by Aberdeen Standard Investments Charitable Foundation.
One charity which has gained from the support is Justness, which works with isolated, unaccompanied refugee children in Edinburgh who have experienced trauma or become victims of hate crime since arriving in the country.
Following a three-month pilot programme delivering maths, English and therapeutic art to 12 refugee children aged eight to 16, the charity plans to expand its scheme to cater for up to 38 children.
A thirteen-year-old child refugee, who was referred to the scheme, was at first depressed, tense and anxious. But following participation in the pilot programme, she said: “Just by attending the study sessions I was able to make new friends who were going through a similar situation to mine. The project helped me to develop my self-esteem.”
Another charity benefitting from the Foundation’s support is Royal Blind, which provides support for blind and partially sighted people across Scotland.
The charity will use the donation to provide advice, support and specialist training to parents of children who are blind in a pilot programme at its Edinburgh-based Royal Blind School. Throughout the programme, children will also be able to enjoy weekend activities in and around the school. Following the pilot, it is hoped the scheme will be rolled out across East Lothian and beyond.
Elsewhere in Edinburgh, Myeloma UK – the only organisation in the UK exclusively combatting the blood cancer condition which originates in bone marrow – has also benefitted from Aberdeen Standard Investments Charitable Foundation’s support.
Approximately 200 people in Edinburgh live with myeloma and, while there is no known cure, the charity is dedicated to improving awareness and the quality of life for those facing the disease.
Myeloma UK runs a dedicated InfoLine from its Edinburgh base to provide support to patients, carers, families and friends – and the charity also plans to host an exhibition at the 2020 Edinburgh Fringe Festival to increase awareness of its cause.
Claire Drummond, head of charitable giving for Aberdeen Standard Investments, said: “It is so important for us to give back to the communities in which our staff work and we are thrilled to be able to support these fantastic causes across Edinburgh and the surrounding area.
“Each of them provides vital services to the people of Edinburgh – whether it’s advice on healthy eating, support for those with impaired sight, or care for those living with life-altering conditions – and their work is incredibly inspiring.”
Social care charity Quarriers has also received funding towards its Coaching for Life programme, which supports care-experienced young people aged 16 to 25 as they move on to the next stage of their lives.
Pairing each young person with a life coach, they benefit from consistency and real-life advice as they tackle some of the biggest decisions of their early lives – including moving into their own flat, starting a new job, or attending college or university.
And Dr Bell’s Family Centre, which provides support and advice for families with young children in Leith, has also benefitted from the Foundation’s support.
The funds will be used to support the charity’s healthy eating initiatives – increasing the knowledge and skills of local families, promoting awareness of healthy lifestyle choices, and aiding family cohesion by extolling the virtues of sitting together at mealtimes to eat home-cooked food.
The Aberdeen Standard Investments Charitable Foundation was established in 2012 to formalise and develop the Group’s charitable giving globally.
The Foundation seeks partnerships with smaller charities around the world, where funds can be seen to have a meaningful and measurable impact. It encourages its employees to use their time and skills to support its charitable projects.
For more information visit
https://www.aberdeenstandard.com/en/who-we-are/charitable-foundation
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