Tag: community groups

How are communities responding to Covid-19?

Public Health Scotland would like to understand more about how communities have responded to the impact of Covid-19 on the way we live our lives, right now and in the next few months, and how local community groups and organisations have supported this.

We are looking for examples in two areas: 

  • Firstly, how communities have adapted to the challenge of how we get around – has the way you travel changed as a result of Covid-19? Perhaps by walking, wheeling and cycling more, or as a result of changes to public and community transport services. What impact has this had?
     
  • Secondly, we are looking for examples of how communities and organisations have used their local areas differently by adapting streets and spaces, for example for children’s outdoor play or for leisure and relaxation, or how they have used or changed existing spaces for example parks, areas with trees or grass.

If you have examples to share you can submit your information and we will be in touch with you.

Did your community group or local project receive copies of the COVID Food Group August newsletter? If not, don’t worry – a few are still available!

Email northedinnews@gmail.com to arrange delivery.

Coronavirus: Funding boost for North Edinburgh’s Foodshare Group

North Edinburgh’s Covid-19 Foodshare Group is among the groups to share in the Scottish Government’s £10 million Supporting Communities Fund.

The funding from the Scottish Government’s Supporting Communities Fund will go directly to more than 250 community ‘anchor’ groups, supporting families on lower incomes and older people access lifeline services to cope with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The community groups operate as ‘anchors’, bringing together charities, volunteers, social enterprises and the public sector to co-ordinate the local response and channel support where it is needed. This includes making hot meals, organising grocery and prescription deliveries and providing wellbeing support.

North Edinburgh Arts is a lead organisation in North Edinburgh’s Covid-19 Foodshare Group, which saw a range of local community organisations join together in March to support vulnerable people across Drylaw, Muirhouse, Pilton, Granton and Royston Wardieburn. The group will receive £96,370.

Since the group was established thousands of hot meals, packed lunches, sandwiches and essential supply packs have been distributed across the area in an operation which is now being  introduced in other areas across the city.

The North Edinburgh group has been calling for resources to meet demand for some weeks and this morning’s announcement will enable the group to maintain and expand the vital service they provide.

North Edinburgh Arts chairperson Lesley Hinds said: “I am delighted with the award of funding from the Scottish Government’s Supporting Communities for Covid-19 work in North Edinburgh.

“Over the last several weeks community groups have come together, to deliver over 13,000 food packages weekly, culture packages and supporting vulnerable residents in North Edinburgh. As Chair of North Edinburgh Arts I am proud of the staff and volunteers who have played an important role in the work, as part of North Edinburgh Covid-19 Foodshare Group.”

While the North Edinburgh Arts-led application was the biggest of those allocated in the capital, there were successful applications by Edinburgh anchor organisations all across the city.

Cyrenians (£71,596), Edinburgh City Youth Cafe (£82,713), Edinburgh Community Food (£25,800), Edinburgh Community Health Forum (£56,693), Edinburgh Old Town Development Trust (£27,720) and Out of the Blue (£49,157) all receive funding to tackle the crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell said: “We know that community groups working in the heart of our communities and neighbourhoods have a wealth of experience in responding to challenges.

“We have seen this through many examples of the incredible response to COVID-19 in the past weeks that have made such a huge difference to so many people. This inspiring work that is already underway in our neighbourhoods is proving essential to our nation’s resilience.

“This funding will be a valuable lifeline for the range of innovative support available for people in our communities, and we are working fast to get that support to where it is needed most.”

The Supporting Communities Fund was announced on 18 March 2020 as part of a £350 million package to help those most affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Up to £10 million is being made available as an initial sum available to support community anchor organisations, and a further allocation of £10 million has been approved to support the second phase of the fund.

List of the community groups that will receive funding.

North Edinburgh Covid-19 Foodshare Group – UPDATED INFORMATION

HELP AND SUPPORT AVAILABLE IN NORTH EDINBURGH

Final 2 North Edinburgh Food Network Info UPDATED 16 APRIL v3

Locality funding opportunity for community groups

£20,000 has been allocated to the North West Locality for the promotion of local cultural and artistic events to take place in 2019. Continue reading Locality funding opportunity for community groups

Call for groups to apply for grants to improve access to greenspaces

Scotland’s walking charity Paths for All has opened two grant schemes which are offering thousands of pounds to groups looking to enhance local paths. The grants, which are offering up to £3000 for community path projects, aim to empower communities to improve access to greenspaces, helping people to be more active more often. Continue reading Call for groups to apply for grants to improve access to greenspaces

Nationwide invites housing charities to bid for social investment cash

Community housing projects and charities are being urged to put their case forward as Nationwide – the UK’s biggest building society – makes £250,000 available to help make a difference across communities in Scotland. Continue reading Nationwide invites housing charities to bid for social investment cash

Nominate now for OneFamily community awards

Teens + Pic Peter Devlin

OneFamily customers across Edinburgh have less than one week left to nominate a local community project for a OneFamily Foundation Community Award – giving them the chance to win up to £25,000. Continue reading Nominate now for OneFamily community awards

Letters: Save our local services

Dear Editor

Cuts in funding for services affect people differently; most are appalled at the frequency and the damage it is doing to the local social fabric. But, as always, it is those who most in need of services are denied them, with all the consequences including further isolation within the community.

Pilton Equalities Project (PEP), an organisation based in North Edinburgh, runs many services for local people including:

  • Five day care clubs
  • Classes and activities in computer training, arts and crafts and literacy and numeracy
  • Cooking
  • A mental health issues group

These activities are attended by approximately 200 people each week.

PEP minibuses pick up from and return people to their homes; all the buses are staffed with volunteer escorts. Up to 80 other volunteers help throughout the week with other activities.

Funding cuts from the city council or Scottish Government will hit the provision of these services and the very people who are most in need.

PEP makes every effort in appealing to various social and charitable organisations for grants and support to keep these vital services going, but it is not sustainable in the long run if funding cuts continue.

PEP’s volunteers carried out 13,000 hours volunteering for local people in 2016, adding greatly to the quality of life and indeed their health.

As one of those volunteers, the reason for this letter is to raise public understanding of how serious are repeated cuts in funding for local services. With the best will and efforts, volunteers cannot operate on insufficient funding for their organisation.

A. Delahoy

Silverknowes Gardens