Three good cause groups win share of £25,000 Scotmid funding

Three good causes across the East of Scotland have been awarded a share of a £25,000 funding pot, thanks to Scotmid’s Community Connect awards scheme. The awards were decided by a vote of Scotmid Members.

LoveOliver secured £15,000 in funding, with Edinburgh City Mission and The School Bank West Lothian both receiving a £5,000 award. The charities were shortlisted by the community retailer to receive the lifeline financial support helping them to continue carrying out vital work within the communities that they operate.

Each organisation delivers a range of different services, aimed at supporting and enhancing the lives of others.

• LoveOliver is a charity dedicated to childhood cancer research and provides practical support for families affected by the disease. The funding awarded by Scotmid will be used to hire a staff member for its drop-in café, which provides aid and support for families at a local and accessible level.

• Edinburgh City Mission is a charitable organisation involved in a number of projects that support the most vulnerable in the Edinburgh community. The charity works to aid several foodbanks, a clothes bank and a family-focused weekend club aimed at supporting asylum seekers. The funding granted by Scotmid will be used to help support these projects and the people who benefit the most from them.

• The School Bank West Lothian was established in 2015 and is dedicated to delivering school uniforms and other school essentials to families experiencing financial hardship. The funding provided by Scotmid will assist The School Bank West Lothian in ensuring every school child is prepared for their studies this winter.

Jennifer Gill, Charity Founder and Co-ordinator at LoveOliver, said: “We are delighted to receive £15,000 from Scotmid and want to thank everyone involved in making this happen.  Our drop-in cafe at The Howat Hub has been running two days each week by our volunteers since opening in February this year.

“This funding will be used to employ a member of staff to allow the cafe to double its opening hours and be more available to families. We’re extremely grateful for this opportunity to extend our team, and to continue our work funding childhood cancer research and providing practical support to families affected by it.”

Catriona Thomas, Fundraising Manager for Edinburgh City Mission, (above) said: “Edinburgh City Mission aims to support as many vulnerable people in the city as possible, so we’re thrilled to be granted with this crucial funding from Scotmid.

“The funding will go towards hosting Soul Food, a weekly sit-down meal service for those most in need, helping us to meet our goal of ensuring that everyone in the local community has access to food.”

Abbie Stephenson, Project Worker with The School Bank West Lothian, said: “The School Bank West Lothian is thrilled to receive £5,000. Vulnerable children shouldn’t be without the basic necessities for school, so our mission is to help provide school children with the clothing and equipment they need to succeed. We look forward to helping reach more children in need.”  

Since Scotmid’s Community Connect launched in 2017, almost £600,000 has been awarded to 66 good cause groups across the north of England and Scotland, enabling key projects to continue operating in their local areas.

Harry Cairney, President of Scotmid, said: “Community Connect is one of the core ways in which we are able to support the communities we serve.

“We’re proud to support local charities and good cause groups and provide dedicated funding to support their goals. As we enter the winter months, it is important to look after one another – we’re grateful for our chosen three charities and good causes’ continued efforts to provide a lifeline to those in need within local communities.”