An early Merry Christmas for local community projects

Ama-zing Harmonies receives £9900 to provide online music sessions, while Muirhouse Millennium Centre will use their £7900 grant to ‘provide a package of child-centred services’.

North Edinburgh Arts receives £9999 (you’d think somebody might have chipped in the extra £1! – Ed) to continue it’s existing textile project ‘focussed on bringing together the community of Muirhouse, exploring it’s social history and preserving memories of the area as it undergoes considerable change and regeneration’.

There’s funding, too, for Ferry Road Allotment Association, who will use their £2600 grant to purchase a replacement chipper/shredder.

Thanks to National Lottery players, they are amongst 161 projects across Scotland sharing in £3,931,314 for a range of activities, many of which reduce isolation experienced by Edinburgh families through the COVID-19 crisis and beyond. 

An Edinburgh based charity providing baby loss counselling and support to families today receives £120,753. Over the next three years, Held In Our Hearts will continue its specialist befriending service for bereaved families who have experienced the loss of a baby. 

Welcoming the funding, Heather Taylor, Principal Befriender, Held In Our Hearts, said: “We are so grateful for this funding, as it will enable us to provide a service that is invaluable to bereaved families. When families hear the words “I understand”, you can almost see the weight lifting from their shoulders.

“Chatting to a befriender, who has walked that same dark path of grief, and has survived, gives the families hope at a time when life seems hopeless.   

“The funding will also cover two new roles of Compassionate Companions, who can be there to support and guide families in the very early days of grief from hospital to home. Newly bereaved parents are often feeling numb, struggling with shock, and they have to make many important and difficult decisions about their baby, which the Compassionate Companions can help advise and guide them through.” 

Proving that small National Lottery grants can make a huge difference is Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust (ELGT) which receives £9,824 to build a set of outdoor learning pods to provide outdoor learning for children, adults and families in Craigmillar. 

Charlie Cumming, Chief Executive, Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust, said, “ELGT are delighted to have received National Lottery funding for outdoor learning pods in Craigmillar.

“It will provide a safe place where local organisations can deliver outdoor activities for disadvantaged children, adults and families who have been suffering from social isolation due to COVID-19. It will enable the local community to benefit from outdoor programmes which can help improve their confidence, team working, health and wellbeing.” 

Dr Bell’s Family Centre receives £8,409 to provide health and wellbeing support groups for families in Leith. 

Danielle Campbell, Centre Manager, Dr Bell’s Family Centre, said: “This National Lottery funding has allowed us adapt our family support services in light of the ongoing pandemic; safely re-opening our respite crèche and delivering virtual family support groups to our families in Leith who have experienced social isolation and economic deprivation. 

“It also allows us to deliver outdoor walking groups around Leith and virtual cooking groups, where families can share recipes and meal ideas in a supportive environment.” 

Announcing today’s funding, The National Lottery Community Fund’s Scotland Chair, Kate Still, said: “At the end of what’s been a very difficult year for everyone, I am delighted that groups in Edinburgh have some celebratory news to end 2020. 

“These groups are all working so hard to ensure their communities thrive during these difficult times. Thanks to National Lottery players, they can now continue their amazing work.” 

National Lottery players raise £30 million every week for good causes in the UK.  

The National Lottery Community Fund in Scotland is currently focusing its funding on those projects that supporting organisations and communities to respond to the challenge of COVID-19.    

Details of awards made across Scotland are available here – December 2020 awards. 

To find out more visit www.TNLCommunityFund.org.uk    

The National Lottery Community Fund
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davepickering

Edinburgh reporter and photographer