Tag: charity grants

Scottish charities to receive share of £1.2 million ScottishPower funding

LIFECARE and PEOPLE KNOW HOW among the winners

An inspiring project to help young people from disadvantaged backgrounds into STEM careers is among six charities across Scotland set to benefit from a funding boost from the ScottishPower Foundation.

Some of the most forward-thinking and progressive charities across the country will use this backing to support vulnerable people, local communities and the environment.

Twenty charities across Scotland, England and Wales have been awarded funding totalling almost £1.2 million for projects committed to tackling current issues, from cost-of-living support and raising aspirations for the next generation to protecting the environment and celebrating cultural diversity.

An exciting new project from Archaeology Scotland, Energy Through Time, is helping young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to develop transferable skills and build their understanding in STEM subjects.

Through the project, young people will harness the power of the past by exploring the historic green spaces around Newbattle Abbey College with the task of creating innovative solutions for future energy sustainability, enabling them to become climate ambassadors for the future.

Supported by the ScottishPower Foundation, the first courses of the project will be kicking off as part of Meaningful May, a programme of activity offered to young people who are not sitting exams in school, with the aim of supporting them into a positive destination.

Melanie Hill, Executive Officer and Trustee at the ScottishPower Foundation, said: “The Energy Through Time project is helping young people to look into the past to inspire their very own future in STEM, supporting them in developing a host of skills and become the next generation of climate ambassadors.

“At the ScottishPower Foundation we always want to nurture projects that we believe will make a real difference, not only to our planet but to our local communities and the people within them. That is why it’s important for us to recognise and boost the incredible work of charities across the UK.

“It is always a challenge to narrow down the number of applications, but we sincerely believe we have selected a group of incredible organisations that we are thrilled to be in partnership with over the next year. We can’t wait to see what they all achieve.”

Jane Miller, Learning Officer at Archaeology Scotland, said: “At Archaeology Scotland we engage and connect young people with their local heritage, helping them develop new skills while raising aspirations for work and further learning.

“This project gives us the opportunity to use archaeology to grow STEM literacy amongst young people from areas where people are experiencing disadvantage across various aspects of their lives.

“We’re extremely grateful to the ScottishPower Foundation for supporting this new project which forms part of our Attainment Through Archaeology courses, designed to offer all people the chance to develop and grow, whatever their background.”

Another charity benefiting from this funding initiative is People Know How, an innovation charity in Edinburgh that aims to improve wellbeing across communities by supporting people to overcome social barriers and thrive.

The ScottishPower Foundation’s funding will support the Reconnect: Digital & Wellbeing Community Support project which seeks to help eradicate digital exclusion by providing place-based digital support in collaboration with local community partners.

By working directly with local communities, the team are creating connections between people who may otherwise feel isolated in society.

The ScottishPower Foundation will also be supporting Hope Kitchen, an Oban-based charity looking to help those in need through food, friendship and fellowship. Pilot Upcycle and Repair Shop: Oban provides affordable food, clothing and homeware whilst also reducing waste.

The funding from the ScottishPower Foundation will allow Hope Kitchen to deliver workshops and events to enable people to learn the skills to repair and upcycle, whilst the shop aims to alleviate the impacts of poverty, specifically by reducing food and textile waste.

With more than £13 million given out to charitable initiatives across Britain over the past 11 years, including more than 230 grants, the ScottishPower Foundation is continuing to support a range of worthy causes, ranging from helping the next generation into STEM careers and reducing isolation among older people to helping enhance the biodiversity of our habitats.

A full list of the 2024 ScottishPower Foundation funded projects are:

·         Archaeology Scotland

·         Hope Kitchen SCIO

·         LifeCare Edinburgh

·         Glencoe Folk Museum

·         Volunteering Hebrides

·         People Know How

·         Pan Intercultural Arts

·         Cheshire Wildlife Trust (CWT)

·         Lancashire Women

·         Brass Bands England

·         The Rachel Kay Shuttleworth Textile Collections

·         Four Corners

·         Young Roots

·         Deafblind UK

·         The Magdalen Environmental Trust

·         Wintercomfort for the homeless

·         The Renewal Trust

·         Footprints Conductive Education Centre Ltd.

·         Tenovus Cancer Care

·         Techniquest

Scottish charities scoop share of £120,000 festive financial boost

Twelve charities based in Scotland have received a £1,000 Christmas gift thanks to the Benefact Group.

The charities were nominated to win a share of £120,000 by members of the public as part of the Benefact Group’s annual 12 days of giving Christmas campaign. The Edinburgh Remakery was among the winners.

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture, a nature charity using rewilding projects to help tackle climate crisis, Smalls for All, an organisation providing underwear for those in need, and ME Research UK, which raises funds to tackle ME, are among the local charities set to benefit from the money following overwhelming public support in the area.

Over 17,700 Scotland residents nominated a cause close to their hearts. The 120 winning charities across the UK were picked at random from those nominated.

Thanking supporters in Scotland, Mark Hews, Group Chief Executive of Benefact Group, said: “Charitable giving is at the heart of our business at the Benefact Group.

“We are delighted to be giving back to deserving charitable causes once more with our annual 12 days of giving Christmas campaign, part of our Movement for Good Awards. In these challenging times, we know that £1,000 can make a real difference and we’re looking forward to seeing how this festive financial boost will changes lives for the better and bring a positive start to 2023.

“Out of some five million companies in the UK, we are the fourth largest corporate donor* and have an ambition to be the largest. As a Group of financial service businesses, uniquely owned by a charity, all available profits go to good causes, and the more our loyal customers support us to grow, the more the Group can give.

“As a company, our purpose is to contribute to the greater good of society and, together, we can help many good causes to continue their support for those who need it most in these difficult times.”

A representative from SCOTLAND: The Big Picture said: “Thank you so much for your support, we will use this award to drive rewilding across Scotland for nature, climate, and people. Thanks again, we’re really grateful”

The full list of the 120 charity winners is available to view online at:

www.movementforgood.com/12days

Charities to share over £37,000 from Leeds Building Society Foundation

Charities in Scotland are among those sharing £37,730 in the latest round of funding from Leeds Building Society Foundation.

The Foundation, which works to support those who are disadvantaged, socially isolated or in vulnerable circumstances, is helping charities in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Airdrie, Fife and Auchindarroch.

Grants totalling £6,158 will:

  • Buy props and equipment for Indepen-dance in Glasgow, to allow disabled people to participate in remote dance and movement sessions
  • Provide two Merida Big Seven mountain bikes to the Preshal Trust in Glasgow, for its weekly cycling fitness programme
  • Purchase digital equipment and mobile phones for Bright Lights Relationship Counselling in Edinburgh, so remote counselling sessions can continue
  • Buy seven mini-portals for Firsthand Lothian in Edinburgh, to facilitate online games, art, craft and mindfulness sessions to support mental health
  • Furnish a new therapy room for those who have experienced abuse for the Moira Anderson Foundation in Airdrie
  • Provide laptops and iPods for Fife Young Carers to support young carers in keeping up with their education online
  • Purchase electronic tablets for Developing Potential SCIO in Auchindarroch, to enable mental health support workshops to continue running remotely

In the latest funding round, a total of 42 charities across the UK have benefitted from donations totalling £37,730.

“We’re pleased to be able to assist these charities supporting people in need in communities in Scotland,” says Gary Hetherington, the chairman of Leeds Building Society Foundation.

“The pandemic has presented many extra challenges for charitable organisations of all sizes.

“Whether revamping technology to provide more online facilities or investing in PPE to offer help to maintain more in-person services in a COVID secure environment, these grants will greatly assist the vital services offered within these local communities.”

The Foundation is funded by the Society and its members via the Your Interest in Theirs scheme*.

It primarily provides grants towards practical items that directly support those in need including those with disabilities, affected by homelessness, or with serious health issues.

Applications for grants can be submitted throughout the year and are reviewed by the Foundation quarterly. To find out more, charities should visit the Leeds Building Society website.

Three Edinburgh charities to benefit from Scotmid support

Three Edinburgh charities have successfully secured £8,500 funding thanks to Scotmid Co-operative’s Community Connect award scheme.

Street Assist, Community One Stop Shop and Kids Love Clothes have each been awarded funding after being shortlisted by the convenience retailer as charities in the East of Scotland to receive financial support from an overall £84,000 pot.

Commenting on the support, Street Assist Edinburgh Founder, Neil Logan, said: “Street Assist Edinburgh are delighted to receive an equal share of the Scotmid Community Connect Grant with the Community One Stop Shop Project and Kids Love Clothes.

“It has been a very difficult time for many charities operating throughout the pandemic so this funding will get us some much-needed stability over the coming months as we try to re-establish our services.”

In normal times, Scotmid would typically select a shortlist of community projects which its members then vote on to allocate different amounts of funding. However, due to the pandemic, the Scotmid Board agreed that all shortlisted charities and community groups would receive equal amounts of funding within each region.

Kids Love Clothes Founder, Denise Thomas, said: “We can’t thank Scotmid enough for their massive generosity.

“We plan to use the money to purchase much needed warm winter jackets and warm clothes to pass onto children in our area. A massive thank you from everyone at Kids Love Clothes.”

Carol Swan, Project Manager of Community One Stop Shop, added: “Thank you so much to Scotmid for their generosity in granting us the funding – it could not have come at a better time for us and the individuals and families we support.

“We will use this money to enhance our services during extended opening hours, and to strengthen the ways in which we can support our service users.”

Since Scotmid’s Community Connect launched in 2017, more than £385,000 has been awarded to 39 good cause groups enabling key projects to come to life in local areas.

Harry Cairney, President and Chair of the East Regional Committee at Scotmid, said: “The pandemic has created numerous challenges for communities to overcome and adapt to.

“Community Connect is one of the main ways we can support the communities that we serve and we are delighted to provide Street Assist, Community One Stop Shop and Kids Love Clothes with funding as they continues to provide vital support to the Edinburgh community.”