Tag: Community Fund

Barratt Developments donations support local communities

Three vital causes supporting families and individuals in Edinburgh and the Lothians have been named the first recipients of this year’s Barratt Developments Community Fund.

Barratt Developments, which includes Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes, currently donates £1,500 per month to local charities in its divisions as part of the homebuilder’s pledge to improve the quality of life of those living in the areas in which it operates.

The homebuilder kicked off 2024 by donating £3,000 to its new East of Scotland main charity partner, Cash for Kids. 

The charity aims to improve the lives of disadvantaged children and young people living locally who are affected by poverty, illness, neglect or have additional needs. The cause also works with grassroots organisations that aim to make a difference to young lives, directly supporting families who often have nowhere else to go.

Cash for Kids replaces St Columba’s Hospice Care as the East Scotland division’s main charity partner, having raised a whopping £247,909 in the last two years through fundraising, including a Pentland Hills walk, charity dinners and office events.

Victoria Hendry, Charity Manager at Cash for Kids, said: “We were absolutely thrilled to receive the Barratt Community Fund for this first quarter of the year. This £3,000 will make such a difference in our local community, specifically to families really struggling with the cost of living.

“We are receiving hundreds, if not thousands, of requests for support with real basics such as food, toiletries and nappies, so these funds will go a long way in supporting us with helping these families who are living on our doorstep.

“To also be chosen as Barratt East Scotland’s new main charity partner was really just the cherry on top. I was delighted to get the phone call and we are excited to build some brilliant fundraising plans across the next two years and help even more local children.”

In February, a further £1,500 was given to Capital Carers, which supports carers in the North West of Edinburgh. 

The organisation’s highly trained staff provide one-to-one support as well as a range of services which enable individuals to support the person they care for and assist them in carrying out their caring responsibilities, while ensuring that they also look after themselves.

Lauren Alexander, Young Carers Support Worker at Capital Carers, said: “A huge thanks to Barratt for this generous donation, it will enable us to provide respite trips for young carers and young adult carers which we would otherwise not have been able to do.

“All of our carers love interaction with animals, and this therapeutic approach can really benefit those with challenging situations. Horses are a big favourite, but it is an expensive activity. The money will allow us to take several groups horse riding, alpaca trekking, a trip to the zoo and going out to eat.

“The funding has already allowed us to take young carers on active respite trips, to Laser Tag, swimming and escape rooms, and meals out where all carers can relax together, make new friends, reconnect with old ones and have that important peer support.”

Finally, in March, Barratt Developments donated £1,500 to Midlothian Foodbank. 

The charity, which is supported by The Trussell Trust, provides three days’ nutritionally balanced emergency food and support to local people in need in the Midlothian area.

Ian Purves, from Midlothian Foodbank, said: “Thank you to Barratt for their generous donation to Midlothian Foodbank.

“The donation will help people in our area struggling with the cost of living and support them with emergency food parcels, food vouchers for families in school holidays, or a hot meal at one of our two weekly lunches. 

“They also have access to an advisor from Citizens Advice who is present during one of our lunches. All this helps to reach our aim of ensuring that no one in Midlothian goes to bed hungry.”

Alison Condie, Managing Director at Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes East Scotland, said: “We’re proud to be supporting causes which are carrying out such essential work in communities throughout Edinburgh and the Lothians.

“From foodbanks through to care, cost of living has placed a significant strain on the services that charities can provide. We hope that our donations can help to alleviate some of this pressure and allow causes to continue supporting families and individuals in the communities in which we build.”

For more information on Barratt Developments in the East of Scotland, visit:

https://bar.homes/east-scotland

Local charities benefit from share of £189,000 Barratt Developments boost

— The housebuilder donated more than £80,000 in 2022 to good causes in the east of Scotland, from children’s recreation and sports groups to foodbanks and conservation trusts —

Barratt Developments – which includes Barratt Homes, David Wilson Homes and Oregon Timber Frame Ltd – is celebrating a year of giving after its charitable efforts topped more than £189,000 in donations across Scotland.

Each year, the five-star housebuilder supports a wide range of organisations promoting health, employability and care among many other causes. This is done through various charity initiatives, including the Barratt Developments Scotland Community Fund, which donates £1,500 to a deserving local cause in each of its Scottish divisions every month.

Over the last 12 months, Barratt Developments has provided financial support to a diverse mix of charities in the east of Scotland. Totalling a whopping £80,000, donations came at a vital time for many families, individuals and organisations affected by the cost-of-living crisis.

In light of this, the housebuilder made significant donations to a range of organisations which support families in need. St Columba’s Hospice Care, which provides world-leading hospice care to those based in Edinburgh and the Lothians, was Barratt’s main charity in the east for 2022 – securing a £60,000 donation.

Other Lothian donation included a £10,000 donation to Social Bite, a £1,500 donation to Empty Kitchen, Full Hearts in Edinburgh, which rescues surplus food to make meals for those in need, and Edinburgh Food Project which received a £1,000 funding boost. East Lothian Roots and Fruits, which aims to make fruit and vegetables more affordable and therefore more accessible, also received a donation of £1,500.

Other organisations which received donations in the east of Scotland included Dnipro; which supports orphans in Ukraine, disability-focused Capability Scotland, The Water of Leith Conservation Trust and Sporting Start – a group that encourages young people to get active and enjoy sport.

Alison Condie, Barratt Developments’ Managing Director for East Scotland, said: “At Barratt, we’re committed to using our scale for good whenever and wherever we can. As Scotland’s leading housebuilder, it’s important that we give back to the areas in which we build and lead by example.

“There is so much vital work being undertaken by organisations up and down the country, and we’re extremely proud to have been able to support these activities and help them continue during what has been a very challenging year.

“From foodbanks through to environmental projects, we’ve donated to a variety of causes this year and look to continue supporting such a diverse mix in 2023. We would like to thank everyone who suggested charities and supported our fundraising activity, and wish everyone a merry Christmas and happy New Year.”

The full list of 2022’s beneficiaries includes:

•                  Highland Homeless, Inverness

•                  Aberdeen Cyrenians, Aberdeen

•                  Social Bite, Edinburgh

•                  The Coming Home Centre, Glasgow

•                  CATH, Perth

•                  St Columba’s Hospice Care

•                  Link Living

•                  Capability Scotland

•                  Cross Reach

•                  The Water of Leith Conservation Trust

•                  Sporting Start

•                  Edinburgh Food Project

•                  Four Square

•                  Dnipro

•                  Tenovus Scotland

•                  East Lothian Roots and Fruits

•                  Empty Kitchen Full Hearts

•                  Pink Saltire

•                  Edinburgh Cat & Dog Home

•                  Cash for Kids

•                  Mental Health Aberdeen (MHA)

•                  Perth & Kinross Foodbank

•                  Abbie’s Sparkle Foundation

•                  Trees for Life

•                  Hamish Dear Warm Hugs

•                  Ellon Castle Gardens – Bill Bruce Memorial Garden Project

•                  Elgin Sports Community Trust

•                  Cove Woodland Community Trust

•                  Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Scotland

•                  Newburgh & Ythan Community Trust – Seal Beach Project

•                  Dream, Believe, Achieve Highland

•                  The Leanne Fund

•                  Cash for Kids Coat Appeal 2022

•                  The Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice in Glasgow

•                  The Lily Foundation

•                  Parklea Branching Out

•                  St Andrew’s Hospice – Thanksgiving Thistle Appeal                   

•                  The Simba Charity                                               

•                  Trust Jack Foundation                                        

•                  Kindness Homeless Street Team Glasgow

•                  Nil by Mouth                                       

•                  CHAP                                                                        

•                  CHAS

•                  Children 1st – Bairns’ Hoose Project                                                         

•                  The Prince’s Trust

•                  Glasgow Spirit of Christmas

•                  Canine Partners

•                  Selkirk Food Bank

•                  Stable Life

•                  Brake Road Safety

•                  The Wave Project

•                  Artbeat Scotland

•                  Earlston Scouts Group

•                  Rowlands, Selkirk

•                  The Difference, Special Baby Care Unit

Charities share £189,000 national boost from Barratt Developments

— The housebuilder donated more than £80,000 in 2022 to good causes in the east of Scotland, from children’s recreation and sports groups to foodbanks and conservation trusts —

Barratt Developments – which includes Barratt Homes, David Wilson Homes and Oregon Timber Frame Ltd – is celebrating a year of giving after its charitable efforts topped more than £189,000 in donations across Scotland.

Each year, the five-star housebuilder supports a wide range of organisations promoting health, employability and care among many other causes. This is done through various charity initiatives, including the Barratt Developments Scotland Community Fund, which donates £1,500 to a deserving local cause in each of its Scottish divisions every month.

Over the last 12 months, Barratt Developments has provided financial support to a diverse mix of charities in the east of Scotland. Totalling a whopping £80,000, donations came at a vital time for many families, individuals and organisations affected by the cost-of-living crisis.

In light of this, the housebuilder made significant donations to a range of organisations which support families in need. St Columba’s Hospice Care, which provides world-leading hospice care to those based in Edinburgh and the Lothians, was Barratt’s main charity in the east for 2022 – securing a £60,000 donation.

Other Lothian donation included a £10,000 donation to Social Bite, a £1,500 donation to Empty Kitchen, Full Hearts in Edinburgh, which rescues surplus food to make meals for those in need, and Edinburgh Food Project which received a £1,000 funding boost. East Lothian Roots and Fruits, which aims to make fruit and vegetables more affordable and therefore more accessible, also received a donation of £1,500.

Other organisations which received donations in the east of Scotland included Dnipro; which supports orphans in Ukraine, disability-focused Capability Scotland, The Water of Leith Conservation Trust and Sporting Start – a group that encourages young people to get active and enjoy sport.

Alison Condie, Barratt Developments’ Managing Director for East Scotland, said: “At Barratt, we’re committed to using our scale for good whenever and wherever we can. As Scotland’s leading housebuilder, it’s important that we give back to the areas in which we build and lead by example.

“There is so much vital work being undertaken by organisations up and down the country, and we’re extremely proud to have been able to support these activities and help them continue during what has been a very challenging year.

“From foodbanks through to environmental projects, we’ve donated to a variety of causes this year and look to continue supporting such a diverse mix in 2023. We would like to thank everyone who suggested charities and supported our fundraising activity, and wish everyone a merry Christmas and happy New Year.”

The full list of 2022’s beneficiaries includes:

•                  Highland Homeless, Inverness

•                  Aberdeen Cyrenians, Aberdeen

•                  Social Bite, Edinburgh

•                  The Coming Home Centre, Glasgow

•                  CATH, Perth

•                  St Columba’s Hospice Care

•                  Link Living

•                  Capability Scotland

•                  Cross Reach

•                  The Water of Leith Conservation Trust

•                  Sporting Start

•                  Edinburgh Food Project

•                  Four Square

•                  Dnipro

•                  Tenovus Scotland

•                  East Lothian Roots and Fruits

•                  Empty Kitchen Full Hearts

•                  Pink Saltire

•                  Edinburgh Cat & Dog Home

•                  Cash for Kids

•                  Mental Health Aberdeen (MHA)

•                  Perth & Kinross Foodbank

•                  Abbie’s Sparkle Foundation

•                  Trees for Life

•                  Hamish Dear Warm Hugs

•                  Ellon Castle Gardens – Bill Bruce Memorial Garden Project

•                  Elgin Sports Community Trust

•                  Cove Woodland Community Trust

•                  Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Scotland

•                  Newburgh & Ythan Community Trust – Seal Beach Project

•                  Dream, Believe, Achieve Highland

•                  The Leanne Fund

•                  Cash for Kids Coat Appeal 2022

•                  The Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice in Glasgow

•                  The Lily Foundation

•                  Parklea Branching Out

•                  St Andrew’s Hospice – Thanksgiving Thistle Appeal                   

•                  The Simba Charity                                               

•                  Trust Jack Foundation                                        

•                  Kindness Homeless Street Team Glasgow

•                  Nil by Mouth                                       

•                  CHAP                                                                        

•                  CHAS

•                  Children 1st – Bairns’ Hoose Project                                                         

•                  The Prince’s Trust

•                  Glasgow Spirit of Christmas

•                  Canine Partners

•                  Selkirk Food Bank

•                  Stable Life

•                  Brake Road Safety

•                  The Wave Project

•                  Artbeat Scotland

•                  Earlston Scouts Group

•                  Rowlands, Selkirk

•                  The Difference, Special Baby Care Unit

Miller Homes unveils £10, 000 community fund for Scotland East

Miller Homes will donate £10,000 to charities, community groups and causes linked to its developments in the East of Scotland, including Edgelaw and West Craigs Manor in Edinburgh, over the next year.

The leading homebuilder has announced the creation of a community fund which will allow groups to apply for funding to support their projects. From local sports teams looking for sponsorship, nurseries looking to equip their garden or perhaps a food bank in need of additional supplies, Miller Homes wants to support its neighbours across the Edinburgh area.

The fund will officially launch on Wednesday 28th September and will cover all of Miller Homes’ developments in its Scotland East region. Applications for this first round will close on Friday 11th November after which donations between a minimum of £250 and a maximum of £2000 will be awarded to the successful applicants. Two funding rounds will take place each year in June and November and applications will be accepted throughout the year.

Each of Miller Homes’ ten regional offices across the UK will have its own £10,000 fund, which combined will contribute £100,000 to community initiatives across the country every year.

Lynsey Brown, Regional Sales Director for Scotland East at Miller Homes said: “We don’t just build houses, we create communities, making Edinburgh a better place to live.

“There are so many amazing groups undertaking vital work in the Edinburgh area, doing everything from supporting vulnerable members of society to enhancing the town’s green spaces.

“Through our community fund we’ll help as many of these organisations as we can and we encourage projects of all shapes and sizes to get in touch and let us know how we can help.”

To make an application to the Miller Homes Community Fund visit: 

www.millerhomes.co.uk/corporate/commuity-fund.

£5k Musselburgh community fund deadline extended

Local causes called on to be in with chance of landing up to £1000

THE APPLICATION deadline for a community fund launched by an independent Scottish developer has been extended to ensure causes in and around Musselburgh don’t miss the chance to make their case.

The fund from Dundas Estates, which totals £5,000, will be distributed in £1,000 segments to five charities or community initiatives local to Musselburgh – whether it is to help them renovate a facility, secure a defibrillator or get a project off the ground and providing essential support, education or resources.

Craig Fairfoull, Head of Sales and Marketing at Dundas Estates, said: “We want to showcase this fantastic funding opportunity to as many amazing causes as possible as we know this kind of money is vital to charitable groups.

“When we first launched the fund at the start of summer, a few organisations might have missed out with it being a particularly busy period of time. Given the fund will provide lasting benefits to the surrounding community, the only option for us was to extend the deadline.

“Musselburgh already has a thriving and tight knit community with a number of local groups doing excellent work within the town, and this is something we are very keen to support.

“The cost of living crisis is bringing fresh challenges for good causes to navigate – so we hope this injection of funds will come at the perfect time for the five final recipients.”

In promoting and administering the fund, the housing developer is working closely with Musselburgh and Inveresk Community Council (MICC) to help ensure worthy causes at the heart of the community are able to benefit.

Interested applicants can apply online via:

 https://www.dundas.co.uk/musselburgh-community-fund 

with applications now closing on Sunday 31st July.

The roll out of the fund comes as the Livingston-based firm launched its 140-home Wireworks development in the town, forming part of its pledge to deliver lasting benefits to the local area and in addition investing section 75 contributions of up to £400,000 towards schooling and infrastructure.

Dundas Estates, through a partnership with Tesco, East Lothian Council and NHS Lothian, acquired The Wireworks site after receiving planning permission to regenerate the former Brunton Wireworks site and neighbouring land in 2008.

Barratt Developments helps Edinburgh communities with charity donations

FACE (Fighting Against Cancer Edinburgh) and Goodtrees Neighbourhood Centre have each received a £1,000 donation inaugurating Barratt Developments East Scotland’s Community Fund giveaway for 2021.

Barratt Developments, which includes both Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes, celebrated a record-breaking 2020 after its charitable efforts topped more than £46,000 in donations across Scotland, including £14,000 in the east of Scotland.

Each year, the five-star housebuilder works with a wide range of local causes and has continued to step up its efforts through the Barratt and David Wilson Community Fund, which donates £1,000 to a deserving local cause in each of its three Scottish divisions every month.

FACE is a charity based at Western General Hospital that supports patients and families who have been affected by cancer.

The housebuilder’s donation will go towards making hospital stays more comfortable and welcoming, such as camp beds for a relative to stay close to a loved one, refurbishment of wards and complementary therapies to promote wellbeing for those who are unwell.

Goodtrees Neighbourhood Centre, based in Moredun, has worked throughout the pandemic to provide a ‘one-stop-shop’ for food and other essentials for local people in need.

To date the youth volunteers have delivered over 50,000 packed lunches, tens of thousands of hot meals and food parcels to families affected by poverty and the elderly and shielding across Liberton and Gilmerton.

Alison Condie, managing director at Barratt East Scotland, said: “FACE and Goodtrees carry out incredible work supporting those affected by cancer and those in need.

“We’re pleased to be able to help them and hope that our donation will allow them to continue to provide these crucial and important services through what continues to be difficult times for us all.”

Welcoming the donation John Macaulay, Convener at FACE added: “Through our fund raising we aim to provide ‘the little things’ that make a difference for patients and families affected by cancer.

“The donation from Barratt has gone towards a special shower reclining chair at the Western General Hospital, enabling us to shower patients with multiple care needs who otherwise may only be able to be washed in bed.

“The staff are delighted, and it is already making a difference for the ward and patients they care for, including those receiving treatment for cancer.”

John Beatson, Project Manager at Goodtrees Neighbourhood Centre said: “Goodtrees Neighbourhood Centre were delighted to be chosen for Barratt Homes’ £1,000 donation. It came as a surprise and is particularly special to us, as being put forward for the fund by a Barratt employee shows that the work that our young people and staff carry out is valued within the wider community. 

“We plan to use part of the donation to fund a treat to the elderly community we support with the rest of the donation giving us the opportunity to give back to our incredible youth volunteers, the key driving force behind our service, when guidance allows.”

As part of the housebuilder’s ongoing charitable activities, Barratt East Scotland also took part in a virtual 500k challenge, raising over £16,000 for The Prince’s Trust, and walking a total combined distance of 1,721km over the three-week competition period.

The division’s Land team is also providing in-kind support to Empty Kitchens Full Hearts, a foodbank based in Leith which turns surplus food into free meals for those in need.

Now in its third year, the Barratt Homes Community Fund pledges to donate £1,000 each month to a charity or organisation in the east of Scotland. Charities are nominated by and voted for by employees of Barratt Homes and the focus for the fund continues to be on organisations that improve the quality of life for those living in the area.

Interested charities can enquire about donation opportunities at 

charity.eastscotland@barratthomes.co.uk

Visit the Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes websites for more information.

City council receives Utilita support for community projects

Utilita, the UK’s leading Smart Pay as You Go energy supplier, has donated £17,910 to The City of Edinburgh Council for community-based projects as part of its ‘Community Fund’ initiative.

The first project that’s kicked off included tree planting in a green space at Firrhill Crescent, in South West Edinburgh.

With Edinburgh set to become a ‘Million Tree City’ by 2030, three beautiful birch trees and three cherry trees were bought and planted by the council thanks to the Utilita Community Fund to benefit future generations to come.

Cllr Donald Wilson, Culture and Communities Convener at The City of Edinburgh Council, commented: “Edinburgh already outstrips other Scottish cities by having more trees per head of population.

“In 2019, we became the first Scottish local authority to support the Charter for Trees, pledging our full commitment to cherish, nurture and celebrate our trees. We are also committed to becoming a Million tree City and this is a welcome step forward working in partnership with Utilita and with local communities.”

Cllr Amy McNeese-Mechan, Culture and Communities Vice Convener at The City of Edinburgh Council, commented: “The generous donation from Utilita helps to support our mission to become a ‘Million Tree City’ by 2030.

“We’re looking forward to working on many other great projects using the Community Fund which benefits the people of Edinburgh and our beautiful city!”

Bill Bullen, Environmentalist and CEO of Utilita, commented: “We’re delighted that The City of Edinburgh Council is putting the Community Fund towards a series of positive projects that’ll help enrich the area and support locals.

“The tree planting is a great project to kick off with and we’re excited to see how the fund will be used further in the coming weeks and months.”

Other upcoming community-based projects taking place as a result of the Utilita Community Fund include the rollout of digital equipment across 13 City of Edinburgh Council’s Sheltered Housing complexes.

The devices will be for the use of sheltered housing tenants and others in the area who might attend activities in the community rooms.

The move aims to empower tenants to interact with the council and other services online, promote social inclusion, provide tenants with the tools, knowledge and advice to support them should they consider buying their own devices, and build their confidence in becoming digitally connected.

As a direct response to the Coronavirus pandemic, Utilita – the only energy company created to help households use less energy – introduced measures to reassure and promote a ‘worry-free’ experience for all customers, especially those experiencing hardship or vulnerability.

In 2020 alone, Utilita issued £8.5m in account credits at zero interest for customers facing financial difficulty through its ‘Power Up’ feature in the My Utilita app, or via a customer call. Utilita’s dedicated Extra Care Team has also called every customer aged 80 and over to advise them on all the ways to top-up and stay on supply.

Central to helping people save money is the Utilita Energy High 5 movement, which enables every household to use around £163 less energy each year by making five free and easy-to-follow changes at home.

More than two million households have engaged with the movement so far – every household can benefit – not just Utilita customers, to start saving today.

Find out more: www.utilita.co.uk/energyhigh5

Poverty-free by 2024?

Lottery funding sees Community Renewal go to work in Bingham and Magdalene

An anti-poverty charity is embarking on a bold and ambitious initiative, thanks to National Lottery funding, to lift an Edinburgh neighbourhood out of poverty in just five years.

Community Renewal: Lifting Neighbourhoods Together, which is being launched this month in Bingham, Magdalene and The Hays by charity Community Renewal, has received funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest funder of community activity in the UK.

The initiative has already been strongly endorsed by the Edinburgh Poverty Commission* who described that it “exemplifies many of the features we are challenging the city to implement across all publicly funded services in Edinburgh.”* 

With an estimated 15% of the Edinburgh population and 1 in 5 children living in relative poverty, there is growing recognition that the support currently available to people in poverty is disjointed and it is difficult for them to know where to start to get help.

Building on 20 years placing transformative power into the hands of deprived communities, Community Renewal’s approach looks at the whole person and their whole family. Community Renewal: Lifting Neighbourhoods Together is a radically simple concept, as CEO Paul McColgan explains:

“We want see if we can re-organise current resources to wrap around the needs and aspirations of people and stick with them for as long as it takes to lift them completely out of poverty.”

“We are partnering with an ever-growing number of public and third sector services, as well as private companies, to join forces as together we can provide the coordinated, multi-faceted and practical support people need.

“What is different about this is that we will work street by street and door by door to engage everyone in every household. We are, thanks to the National Lottery funding, putting the whole community in the driving seat.

“We will listen to every person and decipher how to increase their income by helping them access better work and maximise their benefits and pension entitlements.

“We will reduce their costs, by obtaining better deals for households on their monthly bills and help them access fresh food that is locally available and cheaper. We will support people in securing more affordable housing, adequate to their needs.

“We hope to close the attainment gap for young people in this neighbourhood and build a bridge to the best job opportunities the city has to offer.

“After months feeling isolated in lockdown, we will be tackling loneliness and bringing the community together.”

As soon as 2024, Community Renewal hope that by everyone working together, they will have permanently lifted the neighbourhood out of the 15% most deprived category in the Scottish Government’s Index of Multiple Deprivation. 

By making use of existing resources, the project will also be delivered without any extra cost to the taxpayer. 

Paul McColgan adds: “The project is a culmination of 20 years working in 17 Scottish neighbourhoods. We have conducted over 40,000 community conversations and helped lift them out of the 15% of most deprived index. 

“Lifting Neighbourhoods Together will place transformative power into the hands of the residents to address key issues in their community, such as mental health and wellbeing, housing, education and training, as well as isolation and loneliness.”

Kate Still, Scotland Chair of the National Lottery Community Fund, added: “Thanks to National Lottery players, Lifting Neighbourhoods Together will put the aspirations of local people front and centre and will build upon these to bring about positive change in their lives.

“We understand that when people are in the lead, communities thrive and so we are delighted to be able to support this person-centred approach to tackling poverty and inequality.”

The project launches this month and Paul invites anyone interested in collaborating or discussing the project to get in touch. Details can be found on the Lifting Neighbourhoods website.

Read Community Renewal’s Towards a Britain Without Poverty brochure here

*From A Just Capital Actions to End Poverty in Edinburgh – Edinburgh Poverty Commission Report, September 2020

Young Start lottery boost for Capital employability project

Projects that will boost the physical and mental health of young Scots are amongst those sharing in £732,323 of dormant bank accounts funding announced on Thursday.

Ten projects, run for and by young people, are celebrating the cash from The National Lottery Community Fund’s Young Start fund. 

One of them is Edinburgh’s Capital City Partnership, who receive £62, 500. The city council’s arms-length employability agency will use their Young Start funding to work with ‘young people in Edinburgh at high risk of unemployment’ who will be supported by a dedicated Employment Advocacy worker. The project will work with twenty young people and will also offer two volunteering opportunities.

The Young Start funding will remove barriers to sport and physical activity for young disabled Scots like racerunner athlete Wiktoria Mucha following a grant of £66,000 to local charity, PHSYICAL.

Wiktoria Mucha, 18, from Blairgowrie has cerebral palsy and is a member of Perth Strathtay Harriers which is one of the many partner organisations and sports clubs that PHYSICAL will work with as part of their Young Start funded ‘Positive Beginnings’ project.

Over the next three years hundreds of young people from Perth & Kinross will be able to access coaching opportunities, accredited courses, volunteering opportunities, one to one mentoring and peer support.

Welcoming the news Wiktoria said: “I enjoy race-running as it improves your overall fitness and emotional well-being. I’m looking forward to taking part in Positive Beginnings as I think it will help me with my confidence by meeting other people and learning new skills.”

PHYSICAL trustee Jim Hunter added: “This Young Start grant will allow us to evolve and grow our ‘Positive Beginnings’ programme. Young disabled people, like Wiktoria, will be at the centre of this process and involved throughout.

“It will help each young person develop lifelong skills and knowledge through the platform of sport and physical activity. This cash boost goes a long way to help us reach the financial target for this project.”

Meanwhile, Dundee Football Club in the Community Trust receives £95,624 to help build the confidence, skills and future employment prospects of young people aged between 15 and 24.

The project will create a safe space for young people to access work placements and further education opportunities whilst using their local knowledge to plan and deliver activities for their communities.

Over two years, it will support 45 young people who will create, design and benefit from the programme.

Welcoming the news, Greg Fenton, Community Manager, Dundee FC In The Community Trust, said: “We are delighted with the news of our Young Start grant, which will help us achieve what we set out as a charity to Deliver Change and Transform Lives in our community.

“This project will give young people a fantastic chance in life and, working with our team and partners, this will increase their positive life chances and support them into further education and/or employment.

“The Trust have guaranteed to employ some of the young people on full time and part time contracts from the programme for a full year, so they can give back to their community whilst transforming their lives and the lives of other young people.”

Young Start awards dormant bank and building society cash to youth-led projects across Scotland and is delivered by The National Lottery Community Fund.

The National Lottery Community Fund’s Scotland Chair, Kate Still, said: “At a time when young people are understandably concerned about their futures, it’s great to see that today’s Young Start funding will provide access to accredited courses, volunteering and training opportunities.

“This in turn will help to grow the confidence of many young people like Wiktoria who will lead from the front and realise their full potential.”

Groups wanting to know more about Young Start, and how it can support them during these unprecedented times should telephone 0141 846 0447 or visit  https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/youngstart 

Emergency help for those worse affected by coronavirus

People most at risk from the impacts of the coronavirus outbreak are to receive further support following emergency investment in crucial services.

Charities Scottish Women’s Aid, Social Bite (above) and other key partners will share up to £8 million to provide an emergency response and ensure services can react to coronavirus (COVID-19).

Disadvantaged groups facing hardships such as homelessness, food insecurity or social isolation and loneliness are among those to benefit from services such as:

• emergency accommodation in Glasgow and Edinburgh
• the provision of food and essential supplies to vulnerable groups in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen
• public health information translated into British Sign Language (BSL) and the creation of an easy, one-stop shop approach for BSL users
• online and telephone support for both older people and young people, and more isolated members of the LGBT community, to improve mental resilience and wellbeing

This investment is part of the Scottish Government’s wider £350 million Communities Funding to help those most affected by the pandemic.

Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell said: “We are facing an unprecedented situation that requires a practical response – at scale and pace – to help people most at risk in our community. We must do all that we can to protect the health, welfare and wellbeing of the people of Scotland.

“These significant national investments are helping to strengthen the support available to individuals and ensuring that key services are available for those most in need.

“We are continuing to work with partners, including community organisations to ensure funding reaches those best placed to provide support.”

The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) receives an award of £3 million. SCVO Chief Executive Anna Fowlie said: “I am delighted that Aileen Campbell, Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Local Government, and her colleagues in Scottish Government have listened to the voices from the voluntary sector looking for urgent support at this time of unprecedented uncertainty.

“The measures announced today will go a long way to helping voluntary organisations through the immediate pressures, which of course means that they can continue to rise to the challenge of supporting people and communities across the country.”

Scottish Women’s Aid has been allocated £1.35 million and there’s over £226,000 for Rape Crisis Scotland. The Child Poverty Action Group is awarded £105,000.

The £350 million Communities Funding was announced by Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell on 18 March 2020.

Since it was announced more than £100 million of new support has been delivered to local authorities to assist their efforts. This includes £50 million in hardship funding, £22 million to bolster the Scottish Welfare Fund, and £30 million from the Food Fund.

An additional £23 million is held in reserve for the Scottish Welfare Fund and will be targeted to where it is most needed. £50 million is also in reserve to meet increased demand for Scottish Social Security and support through the Council Tax Reduction Scheme.

The Third Sector Resilience Fund, worth £20 million, launched on the 25th of March.

The full list of the projects to be awarded a share of the funding is:

Organisation Amount Brief outline of project
Young Scot £46,992 Young Scot will deliver Covid-19 information and social media support for young people.
Who Cares? £175,132 Support for the Care Experienced Community.
British Deaf Association Scotland £26,212.50 Public health information to be translated into British Sign Language (BSL) and for there to be an easy, one-stop shop approach for BSL users to find official information
Scottish Women’s Aid £1,350,000 Deliver increased provision of support
Rape Crisis Scotland £226,309 Deliver increased provision of support
Child Poverty Action Group £104,877 Ensure the most up to date advice and support is disseminated to advisors to support families in need through increasing staffing levels; provision of IT equipment to facilitate the move to home provision of support; development and delivery of webinars to a group of front line advisors; subscription costs, development of benefit advice bulletins and increased advice line capacity.
One Parent Families Scotland £100,000 Deliver increased provision of support
Simon Community £296,000 Securing emergency accommodation in Glasgow and Edinburgh to support vulnerable people through the COVID 19 Crisis. Their actual funding proposal shows this is for two months
Simon Community £21,290 Extra accommodation in Edinburgh
Glasgow Night Shelter £153,500 Destitute Asylum Seekers – Emergency accommodation response for destitute asylum seekers
Age Scotland £80,000 Helpline costs
Gypsy/Travellers – Various Partners £73,600 Deliver increased provision of support
LGBT Health and Wellbeing £10,000 Provide telephone support to more isolated members of the LGBT community, with a particular focus on older LGBT people and those experiencing digital exclusion, and expand their LGBT Helpline Scotland from 2 to 4 days per week.
LGBT Youth Scotland £41,500 To improve support for the LGBTI community in Scotland, particularly those aged 13-25, throughout Covid-19 through accelerating development of a Digital Youth Work platform, including learning hub to offer improved support, help them develop greater resilience in relation to their mental health and in time, new skills and strengths.
BEMIS £56,100 To provide access to essential food to diverse minority ethnic communities across Scotland through a network of organisations via a Small Grant Sustenance Fund and emergency grant relief to individuals and families or those supporting them directly such as foodbanks.
Befriending Network £6,333 Additional staff costs to support befriending organisations
Glasgow Disability Alliance £85,800 Additional staff costs for telephony and online support
Equality Network £3,932.82 To provide Zoom accounts to allow regional LGBT groups to stay in contact, many of whom have members who are socially isolated for a number of reasons
SCoJeC £4,650 The proposal has 3 parts: 1. Connecting with Jewish Communities (£2,750), 2. Crisis Hardship Fund (£2,000) and 3. Providing food packages urgently for Passover (£1,900) totalling £6,650.
DeafBlind Scotland £30,000 To produce information in Braille, Moon, XXL print, BSL videos or audio CDs; increase access to advocacy and advice staff to help people understand what support is available to access grants and support; and to increase home visits for Deafblind people who don’t have self-directed support.
Social Bite £500,000 The provision of food and essential supplies to vulnerable groups in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen through the Covid-19 crisis
FareShare £500,000 To purchase and distribute ambient food
Cash For Kids £500,000 To give vouchers/cards to families for essential items including food and fuel
Food Train £241,515 To respond to the increased demand for older people seeking home delivery of food
Coalition with support from the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) Up to £3,000,000 The Scottish Government is working with SCVO as part of a coalition programme to ensure funding gets to community groups
Intercultural Youth Scotland £22,296 Provides for a range of activity to support young minority ethnic people, particularly around mental health support and careers support
Barnardo’s £178,000 To provide direct support to 2,100 children, young people and families with an estimated distribution of £23k per week, plus £40k across the period to support capital spend (e.g. laptops/phones/activity packs to support school work and reduce social isolation). Barnardos’ is working with Action for Children to ensure a cohesive approach is taken across Scotland.
Action for Children £202,000 To support over 20,000 children and young people, including disabled children, care experienced young people, and young carers, and their families, through a two-tier response: i. Welfare Response and Emergency Fund which will distribute funding support to young people and families and ii. Wellbeing Response and Safeguarding Capacity which will increase the organisation’s capacity to protect children, young people and families at greatest risk who may be more isolated than ever due to the current situation.

Total: £8,036,039.32