Tag: funding support

Children’s TV legend counting on Scottish schools to register for NSPCC Number Day 2024

  • Children’s TV presenter, Johnny Ball, and TV personality, Emmauel Asuquo, are calling on schools and nurseries in Scotland to take part in NSPCC Number Day this year
  • Number Day – on Friday, February 2 – encourages children and teachers across the UK to enjoy maths-related activities and games to enthuse children about mathematics
  • Funding raised from the event will enable the charity to continue to provide its vital services, including Childline.

Children’s TV presenter and renowned mathematician Johnny Ball and financial expert Emmauel Asuqo are calling on schools and nurseries across Scotland to sign-up to the NSPCC’s annual maths fundraiser, which raises funds for children suffering abuse. 

They are also supporting the day with visits to schools to encourage youngsters to harness a love of maths, while raising vital funds for the charity.

Number Day takes place on Friday 2nd February, and the NSPCC hopes to see a record number of primary schools across the country taking part in a range of maths related activities and games, including ‘Dress up for Digits’. These activities aim to enthuse children about mathematics, as well as fundraise for the charity.

This Number Day, children will have the chance to take part in an exciting new adventure – ‘The Trophy Thief’ from Sums of Anarchy – a mathematics mystery adventure based in ‘Arithmetown’ where children need to solve the crime of the missing Golden Numeral trophy. 

Plus, there are new resources and activities from all the NSPCC’s partners including Maths Circle and Times Table Rock Stars, Maths on Toast, Oxford University Press, GoHenry and SchoolOnline.

Stephanie Coleman, community fundraiser at the NSPCC, said: “Number Day is an annual event that brings together whole schools and nurseries in a celebration of mathematics and numbers.

“We love hearing from pupils and teacher who have found a creative way to embrace the day, whether that’s dressing up as numbers or challenging students to think about how maths enters our everyday lives.

“The money raised by Number Day goes towards our vital work in supporting children across the UK who experience abuse. It’s a pleasure for us to see so many schools get involved in a day of fun that – down the line – helps children contact Childline or access our support services.

“We’d like to thank everyone who takes part.”

Johnny Ball said: “I’m delighted to support the NSPCC’s annual Number Day once again. It’s a fantastic opportunity to get children excited about maths from a young age in a fun and engaging way.

“Maths can be a daunting subject for many so it’s crucial that we foster a healthy understanding that maths is not just numeracy, but that it underpins everything we do in life including all our activities in the arts and sciences.

“Number Day also encourages youngsters to engage, as a whole school, with fundraising which is so vital for the NSPCC to continue its wonderful work.”

Registration for Number Day 2024 is free and open to schools and nurseries now. Once a school is registered, the NSPCC will provide resources that can be used in the classroom, including new games, quizzes and activities, and free curriculum-based activities such as Dress up for Digits where children and staff can wear an item of clothing with a number on it and make a donation to the NSPCC.

With around 90 per cent of income coming from supporters, including schools, events such as Number Day are crucial to enable the NSPCC keeps its vital services running, including Childline, its Helpline for adults to call if they are concerned about a child, and the charity’s Speak Out, Stay Safe programme, which sees the NSPCC visit primary schools and teach children how to recognise signs of abuse and neglect, and who to talk to if they are worried.

Schools can get involved with Number Day by registering online. 

Further information about Dress Up for Digits and ideas for costumes can also be found on the NSPCC’s website.

Please remember to share your Number Day posts and photos on social media and to include the hashtag #NumberDay.

Children can contact Childline on 0800 1111 or childline.org.uk. Any adults concerned about a child’s safety or wellbeing can contact the NSPCC helpline at help@nspcc.org.uk or by calling 0808 800 5000.

Funding support for charities providing food, shelter and warmth

Over 800 charities and community organisations in England struggling with increased demand have been awarded funding as part of a £76 million package

  • Food banks, warm hubs and safe spaces amongst the first 800 charities to benefit from support for frontline charities and community organisations meeting increased demand for critical services   
  • Up to £38 million already allocated to support organisations carrying out vital work helping the most vulnerable
  • Additional package of support to improve the energy efficiency of community organisations now open for applications

Over 800 charities and community organisations struggling with increased demand have been awarded funding as part of a £76 million package to help vulnerable people.

Projects tackling food poverty, homelessness charities and services offering financial advice are amongst those to benefit from funding, providing a much needed funding boost for those  meeting increased demand for their critical services. 

The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest community funder in the UK, will continue to make awards from the Community Organisations Cost of Living Fund  throughout December and January.

UK Minister for Civil Society Stuart Andrew said: “Charities and community organisations are on the frontline helping the most vulnerable in society, and we are allocating £100 million in recognition that they are struggling too, as demand and costs both increase. 

“Over 800 charities have already been awarded these significant grants, meaning they can continue to help those in need and we will continue to roll out funding at pace.”

This funding comes at a critical time as charities and organisations support more people struggling to heat their homes and access hot meals. Grants worth between £10,000 and £75,000 are being allocated to cover project and core costs, including for premise rent, utilities, staff and volunteers.

David Knott, Chief Executive at The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “We’re proud to be distributing Government funding to enable frontline projects in England to support communities facing the impact of the rising cost of living.

“From the provision of food, shelter and safe spaces, to financial or housing advice, over 800 awards have already been made to critical services that will strengthen communities and improve lives at a challenging time.”

Examples of organisations that will be supported include:

  • Springwell Village Community Venue, Sunderland (above): Funding of £45,000 is supporting the project to focus on its food supply of hot meals and food parcels, and the provision of toiletry packs for disadvantaged young people and older people in the community. It will also provide a safe and warm space over the winter months to support those struggling with the rising cost of utility bills. 
  • Brunswick Youth and Community Centre, Merseyside: In the past 12 months BYCC have adapted their support offer to provide additional food, clothes and essential items due to significant surge in need. Funding of £39,500 will support the project to deliver these services and expand the offering to more beneficiaries, as well as increasing access to their warm space. 
  • Muslim Women’s Council, Bradford: The Curry Circle project provides hot meals in a warm environment to anyone facing food poverty. Funding of over £50,000 is supporting  it to revive a number of services including increased number of hot takeaways, doorstep delivery of food parcels and survival packs with sanitary products. They also aim to provide weekly access to debt advice at the venue where the meals are served.
  • SocietyLinks Tower Hamlets, London: SocietyLinks Tower Hamlets is a community-based charity providing services including after school clubs, holiday provision, youth services, employment support, women’s services, health and fitness programmes and older peoples’ services for disadvantaged residents in the borough.  Funding of over £28,000 will support the continuation of these services, including a food bank, youth safe hub, a warm hub for those aged 50+ and clothing recycling programme (below). 
  • The Centre Project Limited, Leicester: This community hub has been awarded over £40,000 to expand and continue its range of services, which includes a foodbank, warm space, hot meals, social activities, youth club and advice services. They support people who may be vulnerable due to loneliness, isolation, poor housing, unemployment, homelessness, mental health issues or in crisis. 
  • Housing Matters, Bristol: Housing Matters offers an advice, support and advocacy service for people in housing and financial crisis in and around Bristol, advising clients on disputes with landlords, rent arrears, disrepair and overcrowding amongst other issues. Funding of nearly £40,000 is supporting it to pay for the running costs of its housing advice service including telephone, email and face to face support offered at community centres.  
  • SHAPE Birmingham, Birmingham: SHAPE offers shelter for homeless young women. SHAPE is currently facing an increase in demand for its services due to a rise in the cost of living, alongside a rise in running costs of the hostel. Funding of over £35,000 is supporting them to hire a part time worker, enabling them to support more young women. 
  • Christian Action and Resource Enterprise, Grimsby: Christian Action and Resource Enterprise Ltd (CARE) is an established charity running various projects including housing, food, furniture and emergency supplies, warmth, a safe space, and financial and housing advice in North East Lincolnshire. Funding of £75,000 will pay for extra staff hours and the cost of additional IT infrastructure, allowing it to continue its work assessing residents for food and utility vouchers; giving advice and help with finances; support for those struggling with domestic abuse; and providing housing for vulnerable people.

As part of the £100 million package of support allocated during the Spring Budget, it was also announced that £25.5 million will be used to pay for measures to help voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations in England improve their energy efficiency. 

Funding will help the long term energy and financial resilience of the sector as well as supporting the Government’s commitment to meeting a net zero target by 2050. Via independent energy assessments, organisations will be able to identify how to reduce bills through measures such as improving or installing new energy features in the building.

The fund will also support the installation of new energy measures, such as insulation, heating and lighting systems, where applicants are eligible. 

Applications for the £25.5m VCSE Energy Efficiency Scheme, administered by community charity Groundwork, are now open. Eligible organisations are able to apply for funding via the Groundwork website. 

This funding follows a support package of £750 million dedicated to help charities adapt and maintain essential services during the pandemic as part of the government’s unprecedented £400 billion COVID support package.

Awards offered under CCLF

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Scottish Government to increase financial support for Scottish students

Main undergraduate funding package now in line with the Living Wage

Scottish students will benefit from a £2,400 increase to their annual support package from the start of the 2024-25 academic year.

The new special support loan will mean that, per year, the main undergraduate funding package will rise to £11,400 and post-graduate to £13,900.

The uplift means funding support for the most vulnerable students is now in line with the student equivalent Living Wage.

Minister for Further and Higher Education Graeme Dey said: “We know that financial stress can be a significant barrier to educational success so it’s vital that we provide this uplift for students, helping them through what are tough economic times.

“This package of measures will help learners to fulfil their potential and delivers on our Programme for Government commitments to increase the student support package to the equivalent of the Living Wage, to introduce a special support payment and to review funding provision for postgraduate students.

“Along with free tuition, this uplift demonstrates the Scottish Government’s commitment to helping students – even as we face the most challenging financial situation since devolution.”

Scots encouraged to nominate a charity to receive a festive financial boost

Benefact Group’s Movement for Good Awards is giving away £120,000 as part of its annual 12 Days of Giving Christmas campaign

For 12 days in the lead up to Christmas the specialist financial services group is giving £1,000 to ten charities each day – with 120 charities in total benefitting from a festive financial boost.

Nominations are now open and Scotland residents are being encouraged to nominate a cause they care about to give them a chance of receiving a share of the award money.

Draws will take place every weekday between 1st – 18th December and nominating is easy using the online form at www.movementforgood.com. Winners are drawn at random and the more times a charity is nominated the more chance it has of being selected.

Last year more than 17,700 people from across Scotland nominated good causes to receive an award, resulting in 12 charities landing donations.

Emma Razi, Head of Fundraising, at SCOTLAND: The Big Picture who benefitted from £1,000 last year, said: “We were thrilled to receive £1,000 via the 12 Days of Giving campaign. This supported our work to make more rewilding happen across Scotland – benefiting nature, climate and people.”

Mark Hews, Group Chief Executive of Benefact Group, said: “We’re delighted to be giving away another £120,000 in valuable donations to causes around the country. We know that charities across the country are struggling, and for many the festive season is a critical time. We’re asking residents to take a few minutes of their time to nominate a cause they especially care about.

“Benefact Group is the third largest corporate donor in the UK and has an ambition to be the biggest. Owned by a charity, all of its available profits go to good causes, and the more the Group grows, the more the Group can give. We know that £1,000 can make a huge difference to the incredible work that charities do and we’re looking forward to seeing how this financial boost will change lives for the better.”

Benefact Group has donated over £200million to charitable causes since 2014 and has been recognised as the third biggest corporate giver in the UK[1]. The organisation aims to reach £250million in donations by 2025.

Earlier this year, 300 £1,000 awards were donated followed by £480,000 of larger grants in October. 

Movement for Good is funded by EIO plc, part of the Benefact Group.

Three Edinburgh charities among recipients of more than £50,000 of funding to tackle alcohol harm

Three charities in Edinburgh have been awarded more than £50,000 in funding to support their work in tackling the impact of alcohol harm, the Scotch Whisky Action Fund (SWAF) has announced.

Space @ the Broomhouse Hub, Lothian Association of Youth Clubs (LAYC) and Fast Forward are all being supported by the Fund in 2023, with each running dedicated projects to support young  people in the Edinburgh area.

Space @ the Broomhouse Hub is a youth club supporting young people in the Broomhouse area of Edinburgh. Their Youth Befriending Project is aimed at helping children affected by parental addiction, including drugs and alcohol, by pairing them with mentors who can offer guidance, emotional support and respite through fun activities. The Scotch Whisky Action Funding is contributing to a city-wide extension of the service, increasing its capacity by 50%.

Nicola Campbell, Youth Befriending Services Manager, said: “Over the past decade we have helped hundreds of children and young people increase their confidence, engage in school and build positive relationships with others.

“Our service provides two hours of support a week where the children and young people get the opportunity to explore new places and engage in a variety of fun activities. In the last year many young people engaging in the service have shown improvements in their emotional health, education and engaging in their local community.

“If you have a few hours a week to spare to help a young person realise their potential then we would love to hear from you. Our volunteers come from many different walks of life and bring with them a variety of knowledge and skills. Befriending is a very rewarding experience for both the volunteer and young person.”

LAYC is in its second year of funding, and is using the grant from the Scotch Whisky Action Fund to roll out training in alcohol awareness for youth workers across the city. The workshops, which are expected to benefit 45 trainees throughout the year, are aimed at ensuring youth workers feel confident in supporting young people who are at risk of misusing alcohol or are living in households where alcohol use is an issue.

Fast Forward is in its third year of funding from the Scotch Whisky Action Fund, and will be continuing the rollout of its project Own It!, a programme to deliver 400 hours of direct training in alcohol related harm, other risk-taking behaviours, and peer-education to young people in schools, youth clubs and employability groups.

Allie Cherry-Byrnes, Chief Executive of Fast Forward said: “We were delighted to secure a third year of funding from the Scotch Whisky Action Fund to continue our Own It! project. 

“This ongoing support will enable us to continue to develop the project, working with more groups of young people to raise awareness of the impact of alcohol and alcohol related harms by designing and creating innovative peer education resources. 

“Ongoing work with partners like Edinburgh College, whose students supported the design of digital games in year 2, will enable us to continue to develop the programme to add the media of music, photography, animation, theatre, digital games and dance.”

Dame Joan Stringer, who chairs the awards panel, said: “All of the organisations selected to receive funding are doing important work to raise awareness of alcohol harm and support those impacted.

“We look forward to seeing the outcomes of their work, and are pleased to be supporting them this year.”

Business Stream awards £50k to water efficiency projects

Scotland’s public bodies receive vital funding from water retailer

ONE of the UK’s largest water retailers has donated £50,000 to public sector organisations throughout Scotland to help fund water efficiency projects.

Edinburgh-based Business Stream set up its annual Public Sector Scotland (PSS) Water Efficiency Fund to help organisations such as local councils, schools and universities deliver environmental and financial savings.

This year, the retailer has awarded funding to Midlothian Council which is looking to generate efficiencies at two of its primary schools. Funding has also been awarded to South Lanarkshire College and Glasgow Kelvin College, both of which are using the money to invest in water saving devices, rainwater harvesting apparatus and water efficiency audits.

Scottish Fire and Rescue has also been awarded funding for a water efficiency audit across nine stations, and East Ayrshire Council and charity body, Glasgow Life, is hoping the investment will improve their urinal flow facilities.

In addition to providing funding, Business Stream will also support the delivery of each project.

Chief Executive of Business Stream, Jo Dow said: “It’s important to us that we do everything we can to help organisations become more water efficient. We’re delighted that our fund is supporting the public sector throughout Scotland to generate environmental and financial savings for the fourth year running.

“Our fund provides an opportunity for forward thinking organisations to implement steps that will directly benefit their bottom line and support their sustainability goals.”

The fund allocation process was overseen by a judging panel comprising of representatives from Business Stream, the Advanced Procurement for Universities and Colleges (APUC), public sector bodies and Scottish Procurement.

Sheona McIntyre, Environment Officer, Scottish Fire and Rescue, said: “Business Stream’s fund will not only help the Scottish Fire and Rescue service deliver water efficiencies, but also help to further educate our teams on the importance of using water wisely and being conscious of waste water.

“We’re delighted to have been awarded funding.”

Business Stream recently announced it had saved Scotland’s public sector a record £2.85million over the course of the last year, taking total savings over three years to £6.4million. As a result of the retailer’s activities, the sector has also saved more than 1.365 billion litres of water over the past year, equivalent to the volume of 546 Olympic swimming pools.

Headquartered in Edinburgh, with a presence in Worthing, West Sussex and in Bradford, West Yorkshire, Business Stream is guided by its ambitious vision to make a positive difference (MAPD) to its customers, its people, the environment and local communities.

Since launching that vision in 2019, the UK’s second largest water retailer has introduced more than 30 initiatives, several of which have contributed to its latest reduction of 50% in carbon emissions over the past year.

While the company achieved a 25% reduction in 2021-22, the 2022-23 figure, which has been externally verified, is a significant step toward Business Stream becoming net zero by 2030 – well ahead of the Scottish Government’s 2045 target.

In recognition of its efforts to operate as a responsible business, the retailer was awarded a Gold rating by global sustainability assessors, EcoVadis, in November 2022, placing it within the top 5% of companies measured across four key sustainability areas – the environment, sustainable procurement, labour and working conditions and ethics.

Support for Scotland’s museums

£500,000 fund towards capital costs and resilience

In recognition of the important contribution museums make to our communities, the sector is to benefit from a new fund for crucial repair and maintenance work.

The Scottish Government is to give an additional £500,000 to Museums Galleries Scotland to enable organisations across the country to reduce their running costs and increase resilience.

Culture Minister Christina McKelvie said: “Given the current cost of living challenges and their impact on the ability of museums to run their services for the public, this £500,000 in funding will enable the museum sector to be more energy efficient.

“In particular the fund will prioritise projects that will directly reduce carbon use or have a positive environmental impact.

“As well as encouraging the sector to be more sustainable, the aims of the fund align with our national priorities and will contribute to Scotland’s target of net zero emissions by 2045.”

CEO of Museums Galleries Scotland Lucy Casot said: “We welcome this additional funding from the Scottish Government to support the resilience of museums and galleries to continue their important work engaging with communities and telling the stories of their places and people.

“Focusing on lowering running costs and increasing energy efficiency will safeguard these spaces for years to come. and better support our ambitions to become sustainable organisations that aspire to reach net zero.”

Supporting Scotland’s veterans

£500,000 for projects across Scotland

Seventeen projects across Scotland have been awarded funds totalling £500,000 to help ex-service personnel access support for physical and mental health, financial, employment and cost of living challenges.

The grant awards for 2023-24 are from the Scottish Veterans Fund, which has now provided more than £2.8 million to nearly 220 projects since 2008.

Veterans Minister Graeme Dey announced the funding awards while visiting Community Veterans Support in Glasgow. The organisation has been awarded £18,536 for its Warmer, Healthier, Safer Veterans project which is providing food, peer support and financial advice to veterans facing challenges as a result of the cost of living crisis.

Mr Dey said: “Scotland has a long and proud military tradition and we must ensure our veterans and their families continue to be supported during this cost of living crisis.

“I am grateful for the close-knit charity sector here in Scotland, and I’m continually impressed by the level, and quality, of support charities are providing. The excellent work of Community Veterans Support is a great example of what can be achieved.

“Each of the seventeen projects awarded funding from the Scottish Veterans Fund this year will make a real difference and will mean our veterans can get the help they need, when they need it.”

The Scottish Veterans Fund (SVF) was set up in 2008-2009 as the Scottish Government’s main means of directly supporting veterans in Scotland.

From 2022-2023 the fund has been increased to £500,000 annually, with organisations able to bid for up to £50,000 per project.

Below is a full list of projects which will receive SVF funding this year:

OrganisationProject TitleAmountProject Overview
Community Veterans SupportWarmer, Healthier, Safer Veterans£18,536Extend “Warmer Spaces” provision for veterans into evenings and weekends, including food, peer support and financial advice.
ErskineOne-Stop-Shop£13,450Extend provision of tailored financial advocacy, guidance and support to veterans through Erskine’s One Stop Shop.
Fighting with PrideThe Journey Home Project in Scotland£49,042Fund the introduction and development of the Veterans Standard Manager role in Scotland to build the community of LGBT veterans in Scotland and support developing capacity in services that can support that community.
FirstLightTrustSupporting the support£25,000Introduce a new support worker for the Hawick Hub to help develop support pathways for veterans impaired by physical or psychological trauma.
Forces Children ScotlandFuture Transitions | Financial Education for Civilian Life£38,624Develop a bespoke financial education service to support children, young people and parents in making the transition from military to civilian life.
Forces Employment CharityEarly Service Leavers – Scotland Co-Ordinator£50,000Continue pilot scheme from 2022-23, which introduced an Early Service Leavers co-ordinator for Scotland to provide dedicated employment support for this vulnerable cadre.
Lothian Veterans CentreWarm Welcome for veterans and their families£22,572Provide support in current cost of living crisis by opening warm hub for veterans and their families to provide food, heating and social interaction in a location that can provide onward access to other support.
Military Wives ChoirSupporting our Hidden Community£40,000Enhance level of support given to members in Scotland and to reach and recruit more members amongst women whose lives are currently impacted by their connection to the military.
On Course FoundationGolf skills and employment programme£16,344Deliver a sustainable golf skills and employment programme with confidence building events, peer networking and employment experience and opportunities.
RAF AssociationThe Battle Ahead£23,695Provide programme of support to ensure that no member of the RAF veterans community is left cold, hungry or lonely as a result of the cost of living crisis.
RAF Benevolent FundScottish Welfare Support Executive£17,032Provide welfare support to RAF veterans and their dependants with complex needs living in Scotland. Assess individual’s circumstances and create tailored support plans.
Salute my JobCareer Jumpstart Programme£41,700The Career Jumpstart Project aims to reskill jobseekers from the Armed Forces community  for employment in roles in greatest demand in public, private and third sector.
Scotland Bravest Manufacturing CompanyEnhanced Manufacturing Traineeship£50,000Provide opportunities for early service leavers and other veterans to obtain qualifications and sustainable employment with the support of a qualified trainer.
Scottish Veterans ResidencesOccupational Therapy to Improve Veterans’ Health and Wellbeing£43,150Employ a full time occupational therapist to support Veterans’ physical and mental health recovery and rehabilitation through the use of a holistic and biophysical approach.
SSAFAProfessional Support to Relieve the Cost of Living Crisis£10,000Partly fund the employment of a Regional Casework manager to better manage workload of case workers in Scotland to provide a more agile and individualised response to veterans.
Thistle Health and WellbeingMeaningful Connections£20,124Support 150 veterans and their families across Scotland who have been severely impacted by long term conditions, particularly early service leavers, medically discharged veterans and those with mental health needs.
Veterans Housing ScotlandTenancy Sustainment Service£20,000Expand pilot project to identify and support tenants at risk of tenancy failure.

Culture organisations set to benefit as unique funding opportunity reopens

A fund that connects visionary culture organisations with business sponsorship opportunities will open for its seventh round of applications this month.  

Managed by the charity Culture & Business Scotland and supported by the Scottish Government, the fund will provide backing of up to £12,000 each to as many creative organisations as possible ranging from grassroots initiatives to established cultural events.  

When distributing funds, Culture & Business Scotland also account for an organisation’s ethical and environmental credentials, with a focus on supporting organisations which have implemented Fair Work policies, incorporated carbon neutral plans and embedded equality, diversity, and inclusion into their activities.  

Many organisations and businesses have benefited from this fund in the past. A significant beneficiary of the Culture & Business Scotland fund is Edinburgh-based theatre company Vision Mechanics, which used that investment to lever funds from A.T. Best Handlers Ltd in 2019, enabling the creation of Scotland’s largest puppet.

Made from recycled materials, the puppet, known as ‘Storm’, undertook a tour of the country to raise awareness of marine pollution and the urgency of caring for the environment.

The project culminated in the appearance of Storm at Cop26. As well as this, the project addressed community and social empowerment and equalities, diversity and inclusion and also generated significant local cultural tourism benefits.  

For the business, it met a number of external facing business needs, such as image enhancement, business and brand awareness, marketing, but also addressed internal business aspirations, including staff relations and development and creative development. 

Tommy McCormick, Culture & Business Scotland Fund Manager, said: “Since its launch, the Culture & Business Fund has helped to forge impactful relationships between culture organisations and businesses, with powerful and innovative results.

“We are delighted to reopen the fund for a seventh year, extending opportunities to a wider range of organisations and providing creatives with the resources to bring their artistic visions to life.” 

Vision Mechanics, the organisation behind the Storm puppet, added: “We could not have made Storm without this sponsorship. It was a nail-biting budget and this deal made it possible. 

“The additional funding from CBFS was essential. If it had not been available, we might have had a telehandler, but perhaps not been able to build the puppet.” 

Since its inauguration in 2017, the fund has enabled over 200 projects across Scotland to transform their artistic and creative visions into reality.

Over £1.2 million of funding has been awarded so far to creative projects across the country, from Grampian Art Hospital Trust in the north to Dumfries and Galloway Art Festival in the south. 

The fund serves Culture & Business Scotland’s commitment to facilitating meaningful connections between the culture and business sectors, creating the possibility for businesses to sponsor creative projects with vision and scope.  

Vision Mechanics received thousands and thousands of positive comments that can be viewed here: https://www.facebook.com/VisionMechanicsLeith.  

Applications are open from 17th May, and organisations interested in applying to the fund can do so here: https://www.culturebusinessfund.scot

Culture minister announces £200k boost for public libraries as project grants awarded

Public libraries across Scotland have been awarded funding to support a series of trailblazing projects, as part of the 2022/23 Public Library Improvement Fund (PLIF).

Announcing the initiatives receiving Scottish Government grants during a visit to Danderhall Library, Culture Minister Neil Gray took the opportunity to highlight the role libraries play in closing the attainment gap, reducing social exclusion and promoting equality of opportunity and reading.

The Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC), which distributes funding on behalf of the Scottish Government, selected eight initiatives to receive grants from the 2022/23 PLIF, supporting sustainable development and innovation within Scotland’s public libraries.

Culture Minister Neil Gray said: “Public libraries are at the heart of our communities and this year’s awards will go towards a range of projects to further enhance the services they provide.

“I’m also pleased to see that many of the eight projects receiving a share of the £200,000 from the Scottish Government funded Public Libraries Improvement Fund will be delivering their programmes in partnership with other organisations.” 

Joining children from Danderhall Primary School for a storytelling session, Mr Gray spoke about Every Child a Library Member – a new drive to encourage parents across Scotland to introduce children to reading and library use from an early age, while highlighting some of the initiatives underway at public libraries across Scotland.

Available to all public library services in Scotland, PLIF priority was given to applications which support the strategic aims set out in Forward: Scotland’s Public Library Strategy 2021-2025, focusing on ‘People, Place and Partnership’, including an additional support needs training programme in Aberdeen and the creation of ‘Live Well Health’ information hubs across Glasgow.

Other initiatives awarded grants aim to combat social isolation, bridge the digital divide, help close the attainment gap and mitigate the impact of the cost-of-living crisis:

  • Aberdeen City: Building Bridges, Overcoming Barriers
  • Angus: Using the Mobile Library to Grow Community Library Services
  • East Ayrshire: On the Road to Digital Success
  • Glasgow: Live Well Health Information Hubs
  • Glasgow: Connect, Engage, Retain
  • Moray: Digi Bytes and Takeaways
  • North Ayrshire: Off the Page
  • Orkney: Sensory Exploration in Orkney

Pamela Tulloch, chief executive of SLIC, said: “The Public Library Improvement Fund allows services across Scotland to enhance their offering to provide support which benefits the communities they operate in most.

“It allows libraries to lead the way in enriching the sector’s offering and with people, place and partnership at the heart of this innovation, the advantages of library use for people of all ages has never been more clear. And that’s why we’re supporting library use from as early an age as possible with ECALM.”

ECALM is focused on embedding a delivery pathway for library membership at key stages throughout early childhood – birth registration, nursery, and primary school enrolment – to support improved language, literacy and social skills while ensuring that every child in Scotland has access to the valuable learning resources available in public libraries.

For more information on the Public Library Improvement Fund (PLIF), visit: https://scottishlibraries.org/funding/the-public-library-improvement-fund/ and to find out more about ECALM, visit EveryChild.scot.

PICTURES: Lesley Martin