Charity will increase support for drug users in recovery
Bluevale Community Club in Glasgow has been awarded almost £100,000 to enable them to continue with their recovery and wellbeing services, helping their work in the community and with people in recovery from problematic substance use.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will confirm the funding over the next two years during a visit to their recovery club which opened earlier this year.
The First Minister will also visit the community club’s sports facilities which offer a range of activities for young people and adults including boxing, personal training and strength endurance classes which focus on improving the mental and physical health of members.
She will be joined on the visit by Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross.
The First Minister said: “The work being done by Bluevale Community Club in their local area helping people to live healthier lifestyles through their activity classes and recovery drop-ins is fantastic. It is an excellent example of how sustained, meaningful activities and supportive social networks are key to building stronger communities.
“The funding of almost £100,000 will help them focus on expanding these services further and give employment to young people who have given their time free until now.
“The rights of individuals to access effective treatment and support underpins our national drugs strategy. But we know there is more to do to make these rights a reality which is why we launched the National Mission backed by an additional £250m over the next five years to improve and increase access to services for people affected by drug addiction – including an investment of £100m on residential rehabilitation.
“We are determined that every penny of that will make a difference to all those affected by this public health emergency.”
Bluevale Founder and Project Manager Kenny Trainer said: “We welcome the visit by the First Minister and Douglas Ross to see first-hand not only what we are trying to achieve here at Bluevale Community Club but also meet the people who remind us daily why we do it.
“We have run our club on a voluntary basis and welcome the investment from the Scottish Government that will allow us to employ two part time members of staff, allowing us to focus more on developing a whole community response to recovery. Prior to this funding we were unsure if we would last beyond Christmas. We will continue to look at further alternatives to meet the additional shortfall in meeting our charity’s mission and ambition.
“We now ask that all parties, and both governments, put their political differences aside and agree on how we can tackle Scotland’s problems not just at a national level, but locally – ensuring that any investment reaches the heart of our communities where it will make the biggest impact.
“We have seen too many friends and family members die while seeking access to the help they needed and that’s why we back any rights-based approach when it comes to drug treatment – one based on holding decision makers to account where necessary.”
Backed with £27.5 million of UK government funding, the Urban Climate Action programme will support cities across Africa, Asia and Latin America to tackle climate change.
A new multi-million UK Urban Climate Action Programme launched today to help developing cities reduce their emissions and grow sustainably
UK as COP26 Presidency calls on cities and regions across the world to commit to net zero emissions by 2050
decarbonising the world’s urban buildings, which are responsible for around 40% of global emissions, crucial in combating climate change
The UK government has launched the new Urban Climate Action programme (UCAP) to support the cities and regions in developing countries most impacted by climate change to accelerate their transition to net zero.
Backed with £27.5 million of new UK government funding as part of the UK’s International Climate Finance commitment, the programme will support cities across Africa, Asia and Latin America to take action to tackle climate change and create a sustainable future, by helping them to become carbon neutral by 2050 and prepare low-carbon infrastructure projects.
The programme will help cities like Nairobi, Kuala Lumpur, and Bogotá develop low-emission public transport systems, renewable energy generation, sustainable waste management, new climate-smart buildings codes and climate risk planning.
To date over 1,000 cities and regions across the world – over a fifth of the global urban population – have committed to slashing their emissions to net zero by 2050.
On Thurday, as part of the UN COP26 climate summit’s Cities, Regions and Built Environment Day in Glasgow, the UK called on cities yet to make commitments to step up and set a net zero target that will help protect the places where people live and work, future proofing the world for future generations.
Business and Energy Minister Lord Callanan said: “From our homes and workplaces to our towns and cities, the buildings we live in are a fundamental part of our daily lives, but also a significant source of global emissions.
“That’s why at COP26 today we are calling on cities, regions, governments and businesses to seize the moment and set bold net-zero targets as we work together as a global community to end our contribution to climate change.”
The world’s urban buildings, including homes, workplaces, schools and hospitals, are responsible for around 40% of global carbon emissions. By 2050, 1.6 billion people living in cities will be regularly exposed to extremely high temperatures and over 800 million people living in cities across the world will be vulnerable to sea level rises and coastal flooding. Accelerating the transition to net zero emissions for the world’s cities will therefore be vital to achieving the goal of keeping global warming to close to 1.5 degrees.
Energy and Climate Change Minister Greg Hands said: “By 2050 urban areas will be home to two thirds of the world population, with the speed and scale of urbanisation set to lock in high-carbon infrastructure and inequality if we do not act now.
“The UK’s new programme will provide invaluable support to cities across Africa, Asia and Latin America to help them grow sustainably, and make them resilient to climate risks, securing a greener future for generations to come.”
Joy Belmonte, Mayor of Quezon City, one of the cities that will be supported through UCAP said: “Quezon City’s Enhanced Local Climate Action Plan was successfully developed with the support of the UK government.
“With the assistance of the C40 Cities Finance Facility, the city is also pioneering the deployment of solar PV on public schools and on critical public healthcare facilities, contributing to a green and just recovery.
“We are immensely looking forward to continuing our fruitful partnership with C40 to implement Quezon City’s Climate Action Plan as a matter of urgency, continuing the journey together with the support of the UK government.”
C40 Chair and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said: “This is the single most important decade for climate action, and every commitment we make to boost our ambition needs to be backed with the resources to make it possible.
“This new funding agreement from the UK government will put policy into practice for our boldest climate goals – from cleaning the air and creating new economic opportunities for our residents to improving access to sustainable solutions for cities most impacted by the climate crisis.”
UCAP will follow on from the flagship Climate Leadership in Cities programme, which was funded by the UK and successfully supported megacities in Latin America and Asia to develop ambitious climate action plans consistent with the Paris Agreement – including developing pathways to net zero by 2050 and committing to ambitious interim targets by 2030 to keep 1.5 degrees within reach.
As the first major economy to legislate to end its contribution to climate change by 2050, the UK is already taking action to tackle emissions from the built environment sector.
As heating for homes and workspaces makes up almost a third of all UK carbon emissions, reducing these emissions is key to achieving the goal of net zero by 2050.
Through the recent heat and buildings and net zero strategies, the UK government has set out how the UK will deploy the low-carbon technology needed to decarbonise homes, workplaces and public spaces.
To address emissions from the wider built environment, the UK government is investing £3.9 billion through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, the Home Upgrade Grant scheme, Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, Boiler Upgrade Scheme and Heat Network Transformation Programme.
Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Minister Eddie Hughes said: “Net zero provides a real opportunity as we level up across the UK – delivering new green jobs and skills and boosting local economic growth.
“Many local areas are already taking action and we continue to work very closely with them to meet our climate change commitments.
“We are also taking action to cut the CO2 emissions of all new build homes by at least 75% from 2025 under the Future Homes Standard, and by 31% through an improvement in building standards later this year.”
The transition to net zero will drive levelling up across the country while supporting communities towards a greener future – providing opportunities for economic growth and delivering new green jobs for local people.
Many local areas are already taking strong action on climate change, including:
the Gateshead District Energy Scheme, a renewable heat network for up to 1,250 new homes, backed by £5.9 million government funding
Suffolk County Council has set out plans to build new walking and cycling infrastructure, work with industry in Suffolk to utilise innovative waste heat technology, and deliver a public education campaign on the climate emergency to change behaviour
The government is supporting councils to reduce local carbon emissions and take advantage of the opportunities created, including through the Local Net Zero Programme. Almost £22 million has been invested in the programme to date for local places to build capacity and capability to deliver on net zero. A Local Net Zero Forum will also be established to bring together national and local government policymakers on a regular basis.
Heart of Midlothian FC is showing its support for 21/22 front of shirt partner, MND Scotland, by joining a call to the UK Government to invest £50 million into motor neurone disease (MND) research.
The Club proudly launched its new home kit for the 2021/22 season in July, with charity MND Scotland taking pride of place on the front of the jersey, thanks to an innovative two-year sponsorship deal with Dell Technologies.
Over the past year, the Club and its supporters have undertaken several fundraising activities as a tribute to former captain, Marius Zaliukas, who tragically lost his fight to MND in 2020.
Now, the Heart of Midlothian players are standing with MND Scotland, to urge the UK Government to invest£50 million over five years into targeted MND research.
The United to End MND campaign is being led by a coalition which includes MND Scotland, the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, the MND Association, people living with MND, and neurologists from across the UK.
Currently the UK Government’s funding for targeted MND research stands at less than £5 million a year, which the coalition says is not enough. £50 million from the UK Government over five years would fund a virtual institute for MND Research, providing the infrastructure needed for accelerating treatments for MND.
Just last month the coalition delivered a personal letter from people living with MND to 10 Downing Street, which stated ‘MND is a death sentence’ but that ‘research has now reached a point where a cure or life-saving treatments can be found’.
It continued ‘The current piecemeal and protracted approach of funding individual projects will not deliver the life-saving treatments we need…we urgently appeal for action and investment now’.
Andrew McKinlay Heart of Midlothian Chief Executive, said:“We know all too well at Heart of Midlothian the devastating impact MND has, having lost one of our own, Marius Zaliukas.
“If there was a cure, or effective treatments, Marius could still be with us. That’s why we are here today to support this call to the UK Government, for more targeted investment into MND research.
“The work MND Scotland does to support families living with this frightening disease is hugely important, as is their drive to find a cure for future generations. We are united with them to help end MND.”
Rachel Maitland, MND Scotland’s Chief Executive, said :“The support United to End MND has received from people in the community, politicians, clinicians, researchers and partners has been incredible to date, and we thank Heart of Midlothian for joining with us too.
“Too many lives like Marius’ have already been lost to MND, and people living with the disease today do not have time to wait for a cure. MND isn’t incurable, it’s just under-funded. Together, we will beat MND, but we cannot do it without the UK Government’s support.”
A bid for investment has been submitted to the UK Government’s Spending Review, and the call has already been debated in the UK Parliament after a petition to garner public support gathered more than 100,000 signatures in just three weeks.
Members of the coalition have also met with key politicians to explain the desperate need for the cash, to shore up the investment made by charities and industry.
To find out more about the campaign visit www.mndscotland.org.uk/united or tweet your support @MNDScotland @MNDAssoc and @MNDoddie5 using #United2EndMND.
Four charities based in Scotland have shared a £40,000 windfall as part of Ecclesiastical Insurance Group’s annual Movement for Good awards.
Cutting Edge Theatre Ltd, Peebles CAN, Towards Transition Stirling SCIO and Survivors of Human Trafficking in Scotland are four of 30 charities chosen by a panel of judges that will benefit from the money.
The fund will allow Cutting Edge Theatre Ltd, which aims to make a difference to those who are marginalised by using creativity, to kick-start its new project, Inspire Young Company – an initiative which will increase the confidence, self-esteem and communication of young people with a learning disability through theatre training and performance.
Survivors of Human Trafficking in Scotland will be using the donation to identify victims of human trafficking, to ensure they are recovered safely and enable them to get the specialist support they need.
Each of the £10,000 awards are designed to help charities make a real difference in their communities. Applications were assessed against four key areas; impact and effectiveness, sustainability, innovation, and care and compassion.
Mark Hews, Group CEO of Ecclesiastical, said: “At Ecclesiastical we believe business should be a force for good. Charitable causes need sustained support and a sense of financial stability.
“Through the second phase of our Movement for Good awards we are actively championing innovation, giving charities the backing they need to propel their plans forward and turn creative ideas into practical solutions that benefit society.
“We know that £10,000 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.”
“Ecclesiastical, the fourth largest corporate donor in the UK, is a unique financial services group. We are owned by a charity which means all available profits can be given to the good causes that are so important to our customers. As a company whose purpose is to contribute to the greater good of society, charitable giving is at the heart of our business.”
Suzanne Lofthus, Artistic Director at Cutting Edge Theatre Ltd, said: “We believe that every person has potential and we work with those who often feel more marginalised to realise this.
“Nothing gives us greater pleasure than seeing someone discover their talents and abilities. Winning this donation will make a huge difference to the lives of 20 young learning disabled artists, giving them a taste of working professionally in the performing arts. It will open up opportunities for them to be artists in their own right, bringing a much needed and desired diversity to our industry.”
Elyse Kirkham, Senior Philanthropy Officer at Survivors of Human Trafficking in Scotland, said: “At Survivors of Human Trafficking in Scotland we work tirelessly to ensure the identification, safe recovery and long-term wellbeing of survivors of human trafficking in Scotland.
“We support survivors to rebuild their lives, minimising their risk of re-trafficking, strengthening their independence skills and ability to integrate into the community. We couldn’t do what we do without the support of funders like Ecclesiastical and their Movement for Good awards. Together we can make a difference!”
For the third year running, the awards, set up by specialist insurer Ecclesiastical, will see a total of £1million go to charities across the UK.
An amazing 210,000 people around the UK supported the Movement for Good awards during its first phase earlier this year, with over 13,000 charitable causes up and down the country receiving votes. The 500 winning charities were picked at random from those nominated and were awarded £1,000 each.
Phase two saw over 1,000 project submissions for the £10,000 awards. Following a review of all the applications, a panel of judges made their final selection of the 30 winning projects. The remaining money will be awarded at a later date.
MND letter relays the country in bid for £50 million from UK Government
Doddie Weir OBE and Euan MacDonald MBE have kickstarted a nationwide ‘MND letter relay’ from Scotland to 10 Downing Street. The letter, which has already been signed by hundreds of motor neurone disease (MND) patients from across the country, calls for the UK Government to invest in MND research.
United to End MND – a campaign led by charities MND Scotland, the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation and MND Association, as well neurologists and people living with MND – calls for £50 million of UK Government funding over five years to target MND research.
To catapult the campaign, patients throughout the UK have now written and signed a personal letter to the Prime Minister Boris Johnson, which will be presented at 10 Downing Street on Tuesday 21st September, by rugby legends Doddie Weir and Rob Burrow.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast to launch activities on Thursday, Doddie said: “We are continuing to fight to try and make a difference, and to try and find a cure for this horrific issue of MND.The UK has the best researchers in the world and at the moment we’re nearly there to find a stoppage or a cure.
“So this letter, and the money from the Government, will make a massive difference. This will give a lot of hope to people with MND. We need to take it to the next level and with that we need the Government’s help.”
Before his departure to London, Doddie is leading the charge by sending the patient letter on a relay across the nation, to encourage more people living with MND to sign it, starting with fellow MND campaigner, Euan MacDonald in Edinburgh.
Euan, who has MND, is the co-founder of the Euan MacDonald Centre for MND Research. He was joined there by Dr Suvankar Pal, Consultant Neurologist from the University of Edinburgh and Rachel Maitland, MND Scotland’s Chief Executive, who are showing their support for the letter.
The letter states ‘MND is a death sentence’ but that ‘research has now reached a point where a cure or life-saving treatments can be found’. It continues ‘The current piecemeal and protracted approach of funding individual projects will not deliver the life-saving treatments we need …we urgently appeal for action and investment now’.
Euan said: “I very much believe the goal of finding treatments for MND is achievable. The letter and supporting statements highlight the personal impact this disease has had on families like mine and others up and down the country.
“We are trying to ensure other people’s children, spouses, parents and siblings don’t have to go through what ours have. I’d like to appeal to the Prime Minister to back MND patients and have confidence in UK Science achieving what may have previously seemed impossible – a cure for MND.”
Currently the UK Government’s funding for targeted MND research stands at less than £5 million a year, which the campaign coalition says is not enough. £50 million from the UK Government over five years would fund a virtual institute for MND Research, providing the infrastructure needed for accelerating treatments for MND.
The funding bid has already been debated in the UK Parliament after a petition to garner public support gathered more than 100,000 signatures in just three weeks. Members of the campaign coalition have met with key politicians to explain the desperate need for the cash, to shore up the investment made by charities and industry.
With the support of MND charities and neurologists, campaigners are now taking the call directly to Downing Street and people living with MND still have the opportunity to add their signature here: patientsunited2endmnd.org.
Dr Suvankar Pal, the Co-Lead Investigator of MND-SMART, the UK’s biggest drug trial for MND, said: “This is an exciting time for MND research with many centres across the UK working on important areas ranging from drug discovery to delivery of treatment trials.
“We fully support this initiative which promotes collaborative working and much needed investment in research with the aim of delivering new treatments for MND in a timely way.”
Rachel Maitland, MND Scotland’s Chief Executive, said: “We are united here today to ensure the voices of those living with MND are heard by the UK Government.
“The average life expectancy for someone with MND is just 18 months from diagnosis. People like Doddie and Euan do not have time to wait, and neither does our search for a cure.
“MND Scotland’s vision is a world without MND. But we are only able to fund the pioneering research taking place at the Euan MacDonald Centre, and other institutes across the UK, because of the generosity of our supporters. MND isn’t incurable, it’s just under-funded. Together, we will beat MND, but we cannot do it without the UK Government’s support.”
To find out more about the campaign visit www.mndscotland.org.uk/united or tweet your support @MNDScotland @MNDAssoc and @MNDoddie5 using #United2EndMND.
Community groups in Scotland that help local people look after their hearts can now apply for a regional grant up to £10,000, thanks to national charity Heart Research UK and the Subway® brand.
The deadline for applying is5pm on Monday 20th September 2021.
The Heart Research UK and Subway® Healthy Heart Grant is available for new and innovative projects that promote healthy hearts and reduce the risk of heart disease in the community. Projects should deliver health initiatives such as cooking skills and healthy eating and should encourage people to get more active and promote positive mental wellbeing.
The £10,000 has been raised locally in Subway® stores throughout the region. Previous grantees from Scotland have included the Feel Good Women’s Group, who led fitness and cooking classes for local women.
In response to the pandemic, we have adapted the criteria for our Healthy Heart grants. We will accept applications for projects which can be delivered remotely or with social distancing measures in place. This year we are also accepting applications for the funding of equipment only.
Community groups in Scotland that help local people look after their hearts can now apply for a regional grant up to £10,000, thanks to national charity Heart Research UK and the Subway® brand.
The deadline for applying is 5pm on Monday 20th September 2021.
Kate Bratt-Farrar, Chief Executive of Heart Research UK, said:“Through our partnership with Subway®, we hope to encourage people all across the country to make healthier choices and give them practical help to do so.
“This grant is available to ensure everyone can benefit from a healthier, happier and longer life.
“We’re looking for new and innovative projects that really have an impact, especially if they aim to improve the health of at risk or hard to reach communities. We’re really grateful to the many customers and staff at Subway® stores who have raised the money to make this possible.”
The deadline for applying is the Monday 20th September 2021 and this can be done by visiting:
Includes £1 billion to help tackle COVID-19 backlogs, delivering routine surgery and treatments for patients
The NHS will receive an extra £5.4 billion over the next six months to support its response to COVID-19 and help tackle waiting lists, the Prime Minister and Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid have announced.
The funding will immediately go towards supporting the NHS to manage the immediate pressures of the pandemic. This includes an extra £1 billion to help tackle the COVID-19 backlog, £2.8 billion to cover related costs such as enhanced infection control measures to keep staff and patients safe from the virus and £478 million to continue the hospital discharge programme, freeing up beds.
The additional £5.4 billion brings the government’s total investment to health services for COVID-19 so far this year to over £34 billion, with £2 billion in total for the NHS to tackle the elective backlog.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “The NHS was there for us during the pandemic – but treating Covid patients has created huge backlogs.
“This funding will go straight to the frontline, to provide more patients with the treatments they need but aren’t getting quickly enough.
“We will continue to make sure our NHS has what it needs to bust the Covid backlogs and help the health service build back better from the worst pandemic in a century.”
Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: “The NHS has been phenomenal as it has faced one of the biggest challenges in its history.
“Today’s additional £5.4 billion funding over the next 6 months is critical to ensuring the health service has what it needs to manage the ongoing pandemic and helping to tackle waiting lists.
“We know waiting lists will get worse before they get better as people come forward for help, and I want to reassure you the NHS is open, and we are doing what we can to support the NHS to deliver routine operations and treatment to patients across the country.”
Amanda Pritchard, NHS chief executive, said: “This funding provides welcome certainty for the NHS, which has pulled out all the stops to restore services, while caring for thousands of seriously ill Covid patients requiring hospital treatment during the toughest summer on record.
“This additional investment will enable the NHS to deliver more checks, scans and procedures as well as helping to deal with the ongoing costs and pressures of the pandemic as the NHS heads in to winter.”
The UK Government has been clear that the NHS will ‘get what it needs’ to recover its usual services and deliver quality care to patients.
The waiting list for routine operations and treatments such as hip replacements and eye cataract surgery could potentially increase to as high as 13 million. While today’s extra £1 billion funding will go some way to help reduce this number, waiting lists will rise before they improve as more people who didn’t seek care over the pandemic come forward.
£478 million of this new funding has been dedicated to continue the hospital discharge programme so staff can ensure patients leave hospital as quickly and as safely as possible, with the right community or at-home support.
This will free up thousands of extra beds and staff time to help the NHS recover services. The government has also invested £500 million in capital funding for extra theatre capacity and productivity-boosting technology, to increase the number of surgeries able to take place.
This funding is for England only. The devolved administrations will receive up to £1 billion in Barnett consequentials in 2021-22. The final amount will be confirmed and allocated at Supplementary Estimates 2021-22.
On top of this funding, the NHS recently launched a £160 million initiative to tackle waiting lists. This is looking to accelerate the recovery of routine treatments and operations by trialling new ways of working, including a high-volume cataract service, one stop testing facilities where people can get tests done quickly and efficiently, to speed up the time to treatment, greater access to specialist advice for GPs and pop-up clinics so patients can be seen and discharged closer to home.
The UK government is ‘committed to delivering the greatest hospital building programme in a generation with 40 new hospitals by 2030’, backed by an initial £3.7 billion.
Yesterday’s announcement is in addition to the £3 billion announced at Spending Review 2020 to support the NHS.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is expected to announce a further £2.5 billion increase in NHS spending in Scotland when she lays out her Programme for Government later today.
Over £2.2m of National Lottery funding is today being shared by 103 community groups across Scotland. Many of the charities and voluntary organisations receiving awards will provide vital support and activities for people as they begin to meet up with others again post pandemic.
Twelve Edinburgh-based projects have received funding in the latest round of awards. The Action Group (above) receives the biggest award – over £124,000 Improving Lives funding – to deliver an 18-month isolation reduction project making connections for people with learning disabilities, autism and other support needs.
Other succesful projects including Hidden Door, Steps to Hope and Water of Leith Trust receive awards of up to £10,000.
Sleep Scotland’s Teens+ Project is an Edinburgh based learning service for students with additional support needs which help them flourish and move on towards a more independent lifestyle.
Thanks to an award of £10,000, they will be able to run a year long programme of activities and support which will address the negative impact of COVID-19 on their students who reported feeling more anxious, isolated, and disconnected as a result of the pandemic.
Shaun Jempson, 34, from Edinburgh, who has additional support needs and who is a student at Teens+ said: “I found lockdown a bit sad and very hard at times as I couldn’t go out with my friends and there wasn’t much do to other than sitting around the house.
“I felt bored and really lonely. The staff at Teens+ helped me to learn things like independence skills, group work, maths and writing which helps me to work towards my future goals. I am excited to learn the new activities because it’s good to try new things and it will help me meet up with people again and learn coping strategies.
Welcoming the funding, Gail Burden, Teens CEO, said: “At Teens+ we believe everyone with additional support needs deserves to thrive. During COVID restrictions it’s been really difficult for our students to keep connected with their peers and they’ve told us that they feel more isolated and anxious as a result.
“This National Lottery funding will help us to run new activities designed to build confidence and wellbeing.
“Our students will be able to be with their friends again through a programme of fun and educational activities that they will design themselves. This will make a huge difference in helping our students move on from COVID-19 and reconnect with their friends and the wider community.”
African Lanarkshire for Mental Healthreceives £7,630 to deliver as series of NHS led workshops to help alleviate any fear and anxiety around getting the COVID-19 vaccine.
The group, who will work with families in the Motherwell area, will also be able to work with people who have additional COVID-19 related mental health issues.
Bethin Kambale, African Lanarkshire for Mental Healthsaid: “These workshops will help give people clear information about the vaccination and help improve their mental health.
“Many of our members are talking about being scared to go to work because of anxiety of catching the virus and we want to help them feel more confident about moving on with their lives post COVID.”
Across Scotland, 103 community projects are today sharing in £2,140,644.
Announcing the funding, The National Lottery Community Fund’s Scotland Chair, Kate Still, said: “It’s great to see a such a variety of projects being funded to help people of all ages and backgrounds begin to adapt and recover from the pandemic whether it’s supporting more people like Shaun learn new skills and begin to meet up with friends and families or helping those who may feel scared and anxious to take those small steps back to normality.
“As groups are beginning to bring people together again National Lottery players can be proud to know that the money, they raise is making a huge difference helping to re-connect people of all ages in communities across Scotland.”
The National Lottery Community Fund distributes money raised by National Lottery players for good causes. Thanks to National Lottery players, last year we awarded over half a billion pounds (£588.2 million) of life-changing funding to communities across the UK.
Over eight in ten (83%) of our grants are for under £10,000 – going to grassroots groups and charities across the UK that are bringing to life amazing ideas that matter to their communities.
Aldi’s Scottish Sport Fund has returned for its sixth year and sports clubs across Edinburgh can now apply for a share of £50,000, with one lucky club in with the chance of securing a £2,500 funding boost.
Launched in 2016, Aldi’s Scottish Sport Fund is an initiative that aims to help people of all ages and abilities take part in physical activity within their local communities by offering sports clubs the chance to secure essential funding.
From gymnastics and youth tennis to local sports trusts, Aldi’s Scottish Sport Fund is open to any sporting organisation in Scotland. This year, Aldi’s prizes will again focus on developing grassroots sports, giving local sports clubs the opportunity to receive funding ranging from £500 to £2,500.
Through Aldi’s Scottish Sport Fund, over 458 clubs across Scotland have benefitted from a funding uplift of more than £240,000, helping sports clubs across the country maximise their potential and encouraging more people to engage with physical and sporting activity.
In 2020, Aldi supported a selection of sports clubs across Edinburgh including Forth Canoe Club, City Star Majorettes, Edinburgh Pony Club and Leith Archers (pictured).
Richard Holloway, Regional Managing Director for Aldi Scotland, said:“Since 2016, the Scottish Sport Fund has given a wide range of sports clubs the chance to benefit from essential funding to help attract new members and invest in much needed equipment and resources.
“The past year has been increasingly challenging for sports clubs across Scotland and has highlighted the important role they play in promoting both physical and mental wellbeing.
“We look forward to welcoming applications from a wide range of local sports clubs and I’d encourage any club based across Edinburgh to get involved and take advantage of this excellent funding opportunity.”
Team GB athlete, Katie Archibald, said:“Local Sports clubs have played a crucial role not only in starting and developing my career but those of all past and present Team GB athletes, and it is often understated the amazing role that sports clubs play in promoting both physical activity and an active lifestyle.
“Aldi’s continued investment in supporting local Scottish sports clubs is admired by all Team GB athletes and those clubs that will benefit from the Scottish Sport Fund are crucial in helping to nurture the next generation of Olympic athletes.”
Sports clubs located across Edinburgh and surrounding areas have until 27th September to apply. Sports clubs can be based in Edinburgh, the Lothians or the Borders to be eligible to apply for this round of funding.
One applicant will be selected to receive £2,500 of funding, two aplicants will each receive £1,000 of funding, while several other applicants will each receive £500 of funding towards their sports club.
Applications will be selected at random to receive each of the funding brackets.
The Aldi Scottish Sport Fund is open to any sporting organisation in Scotland that meets the application criteria, from rugby clubs to after school groups and everything in between.
All applications will be considered by the Aldi judging panel and entrants will be notified of the outcome of their funding application within four to six weeks from the region’s deadline.
Please see the Aldi Scottish Sport Fund FAQs and Terms & Conditions for more information.
The next meeting of this group is Tuesday 17th August at 6pm on Teams (link below)
Please find attached:
Minute of previous meeting of 24th June 2021
Agenda for meeting of 17th August 2021
NEP report (Roads and Housing Revenue Account HRA)
Transport Infrastructure Investment report
We have no Community Grants applications to consider at this meeting, but Cllr Barrie is still looking for volunteers to join a Funding Panel that will consider any applications in future.
We are particularly keen to have anyone representing projects in the Drylaw Telford area.
Please get back to me if you are willing to assist in this.
