COMEDIAN and Catchphrase presenter Roy Walker has teamed up with Macmillan Cancer Support to encourage Scots to help raise more than £10m by having a coffee. The charity hopes people across the country will take part in its 22nd World’s Biggest Coffee Morning next month by arranging their own coffee mornings. Macmillan hopes to raise £10.7m across the UK, around £1m of the target sum being collected in Scotland.
Edinburgh-based People’s Postcode Lottery today announced the launch of the Dream Fund, a £400,000 funding pot that encourages charities and organisations across the country to work together to secure vital funding.
The Dream Fund is an awards programme which offers financial support for groups looking to work together to realise the project of their ‘dreams’. Made possible only by the ongoing support of People’s Postcode Lottery players, this new funding round will mark the Fund’s third year and a collective total of £1 million invested in innovative projects all across Scotland.
This year, Trustees chose to increase the funding pot available for the applying charities and projects by an additional £100,000, so that it can also help tackle youth unemployment. With unemployment rates for young people (aged 16-24) in Scotland hitting 22.9%, 1.6% higher than the rest of the UK*, it has never been more important to invest in projects that increase the life opportunities of the long-term unemployed.
Clara Govier, Head of Charities People’s Postcode Lottery, said, “We are opening the fund again today with the existing three categories; encouraging active living, bringing communities together and tackling climate change.
“However, this year in response to the continuing bleak economic outlook and the declining number of opportunities available for young people, we have decided to increase the support available to £400,000 to specifically help expand life opportunities available for our young people.”
The Trust is encouraging all charities and organisations to apply for up to £100,000 and join the list of projects that have already received support from the Dream Fund. Previous winners include Alzheimer Scotland and The Scottish Football Association Museum Trust, who together were awarded over £75,000 through the programme last year to run a Football Memories Project across the country.
Alistair Fergusson, Development Co-ordinator, Alzheimer Scotland said, “The support from the Dream Fund has just been invaluable. It has enabled us to achieve so much more than we had ever expected, we’ve been able to reach out and help groups that this time last year we simply wouldn’t of thought possible. We would really encourage all eligible organisations to apply to fulfil their organisations dreams too.”
Full application information, including eligibility criteria, can be found at www.postcodetrust.org.uk. The closing date for applications is Wednesday 31 October.
Pictures: Alzheimer Scotland’s Alitair Fergusson with three year old Izzie Berry tie ‘dream tags’ to a tree in the Botanic Gardens
Set up by a group of dedicated and skilled volunteers, Friends of LEAP will help to raise additional funds for the programme along with managing the donations they receive.
Dr David McCartney, Clinical Lead, LEAP, NHS Lothian, said: “LEAP continues to grow from strength to strength with more and more people successfully completing the programme and going on to live alcohol and drug free lives. We are delighted to see that the Friends of LEAP charity has been established. We welcome their support and I am sure their work will make a significant contribution to the service. All donations we receive are gratefully received and will go directly into catering for the needs of our patients.”
Trustee Alison Hume is one of four volunteers involved in setting up the charity. “Having volunteered at LEAP over the last few years we are delighted to set up Friends of LEAP. We have witnessed the dedication of staff, the high success in patients completing the programme and the impact that this has had not only on their lives but also that of their families and friends and we are delighted to be involved in this way.”
The LEAP programme operates seven days a week for people dependent on substances who want to achieve drug and alcohol-free recovery. There are six elements to LEAP’s three-month treatment and rehabilitation programme. These are:
“More than 500 patients have been admitted to the programme,” added Dr David McCartney. “It’s important we celebrate our achievements and look ahead with positivity in continuing to assist people in the future.”
Launched in September 2007 LEAP is the first programme of its kind in Scotland, and is an innovative partnership between NHS Lothian, the City of Edinburgh Council, Transition (Access to Industry) and the Serenity Café and the Alcohol and Drug Partnerships in Lothian.
You can find out more about LEAP here LEAP webpage
