Tag: community organisations

PEP: Twenty five not out

PEP volunteer Tony Delahoy highlights a local community organisation which marks an important milestone this year:

PEP

Nationally, this year many important dates and events will be recalled with mixed emotions – they should not be passed over in silence. Locally in North Edinburgh, an important milestone was reached in February.

Pilton Equalities Project (PEP) will have been providing many services for older and other vulnerable adults for 25 years, encouraging independence and reducing isolation.

Over 180 people take part weekly in PEP’s activities: most are transported to and from their homes by PEP’s minibuses. The buses are fully accessible for wheelchair users and are staffed by drivers and escort volunteers.

PEP work is supported by some funding from the City of Edinburgh Council, to whom grateful thanks are expressed by all involved with PEP.

The following activities are on offer:

  • Five Day Care Clubs with places for 100 people, with entertainment and classes arranged,
  • Arts and Crafts,
  • Computer Instruction and Internet,
  • Lifelong Learning, Literacy and Numeracy,
  • Exercise,
  • Cooking,
  • Entertainment and Outings,
  • Shopping trips twice weekly to various locations,
  • Neighbourhood Group four days a week (mental health support),
  • Weekend Resource Centre (for aged fifty-plus isolated people),
  • Learning difficulty class.

During the summer PEP runs a programme of outings to places of interest outside Edinburgh, and PEP also offers a gardening and handyman service.

As you may imagine many volunteers are need to keep things going: last year over 7500 hours were volunteered! PEP’s services for the people of North Edinburgh are invaluable – at present we have 900 people on our database; without volunteers and funding, services would be denied them.

The name Pilton Equalities Project does not mean that services are restricted to Pilton itself – the actual areas covered takes in Granton, Royston Wardieburn, Trinity, Leith, Drylaw, Muirhouse and Silverknowes.

Our address is:

Pilton Equalities Project

PEP Centre

3 West Pilton Park

Edinburgh EH4 4EL

Telephone 0131 315 4466

Fax 0131 332 4817

Email: pepequalities@btconnect.com

Website: www.pepequalities.co.uk

An event to celebrate our 25 years of service to the people of North Edinburgh will be held in July in Edinburgh College Granton Campus – details will be published as soon as they are confirmed.

Tony Delahoy

Spartans net share of social enterprise funding

The Spartans are among 67 enterprising third sector organisations to be awarded a share of £2.3 million social enterprise funding, Finance Secretary John Swinney confirmed today.

Spartans will receive almost £16,000 from the Enterprise Ready Fund and eight other city-based charities and voluntary organisations will also be supported.

The £6 million Enterprise Ready Fund, which opened to applications last September, builds on a number of current initiatives the Scottish Government has in place to continue to support a sustainable, capable and enterprising third sector.

The Finance Secretary’s announcement comes ahead of a trip to Oslo where he will plans to highlight the Scottish Government’s commitment to supporting the third sector at a conference on Social Entrepreneurship. It’s estimated that there are now between 3,000 – 4,000 social enterprises across Scotland and that that number is growing.

The Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth said: “I would like to congratulate the 67 organisations which have been successful in securing grants from the Enterprise Ready Fund, ensuring the impact of these investments will be felt across Scotland.

“We believe that an enterprising third sector is a vital partner in our economy, in civic society and in the creation of a fairer and more inclusive Scotland. That is why we have invested heavily to help the sector develop.

“We have had a great response to the fund so far and I am keen to remind new, emerging and established third sector organisations that they have until 16 June to apply for funding. I hope that by investing in the third sector and enhancing its self-sufficiency we can look forward to a future where these organisations play a full role in public sector reform.

“Speaking at the Ferd conference provides an opportunity to share the experience of building a strong social enterprise sector, with our friends in Norway. Scotland has an excellent reputation for our work with the third sector. It is regarded as the best place in the world to start a social enterprise and there is increasing international interest in what some are calling the ‘Scottish Model’.”

The Enterprise Ready Fund will help organisations to develop, become more efficient and self-sustaining, or diversify into new markets. Priority is being given to activities that contribute towards the Scottish Government’s Prevention and Welfare Reform agendas. The fund is being delivered by a consortium of third sector organisations led by Foundation Scotland in partnership with Community Enterprise in Scotland (CEiS), Developing Strathclyde Ltd (DSL) and the Social Value Lab.

Foundation Scotland’s Chief Executive Giles Ruck said: “We are delighted with the wide variety of applications we have received so far, which showcase the innovative ways organisations plan to use their awards to make a real difference to the people and communities they serve. We hope this initial announcement will encourage new or developing third sector organisations to apply to the Enterprise Ready Fund before it closes on 16 June.”

Other Edinburgh-based organisations to receive Enterprise Ready funding include Children in Scotland (£24,840), Comas (£37,833), Grassmarket Community Project (£69,963), Greetings from Leith Ltd (£14,287), Nourish (Scotland) (£50,000), Power of Youth (£21,000), Spartans (£15,804), The Melting Pot (£25,000) and Transform Scotland (£49,544).

Further information and full details of the Enterprise Ready Fund can be found at:http://www.foundationscotland.org.uk/grants-and-funding-for-organisations/what-grants-are-available/enterprise-ready-fund.aspx

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