Tag: National Lottery Community Fund

National Lottery money helps connect Edinburgh communities

An award of £9,500  announced today to Children with Cancer and Leukaemia Advice and Support for Parents SCIO (CCLASP) means that they will be able to provide essential food and household items for families with children suffering from cancer leukaemia. 

Scotland Yard Adventure Centre also receives an award of £10,000 to provide a targeted advice service for some of the most vulnerable disabled children and their carers. And an award of £14,000 means that Children 1st, based in Edinburgh, will be able to increase the capacity of their telephone helpline and digital support service, Parentline, to meet increased demand during the COVID-19 crisis.

The awards to CCLASP, Scotland Yard Adventure Centre and Children 1st are three of 31 Edinburgh based projects sharing in £271,636  of funding from The National Lottery  Community Fund.

There’s money too for LifeCare’s Cheyne Gang choir to move online, Granton Youth Centre for a mudic video project and support for both Leith Festival and ELREC’s Edinburgh Climate Festival.

Across the country 282 groups, from charities to smaller voluntary led community projects, are receiving funding raised by National Lottery players for a range of activities, many of which will help people to support each other through the COVID-19 crisis.

Gordon Murdie, General Manager, CCLASP, said: “The National Lottery Community Fund award has ensured that the charity can meet its ongoing staff and running costs through the pandemic and be ready to resume its operation in full as soon as the Scottish Government allows.

“This funding has allowed us the financial security to diversify and assist the families we serve in the best way we can during these difficult times.  Lockdown is challenging in general but for families with children suffering from cancer and leukaemia it is particularly difficult.

“Since lockdown began, we have delivered over 20,000 items to around 300 children and their families.  These deliveries of essentials, small treats and toys to brighten the days have meant so much to so many.”   

Ellen Starkey, Fundraising Assistant, Scotland Yard Adventure Centre, said: “Here at The Yard we were delighted to receive a grant from The National Lottery Community Fund for our COVID-19 services.

“It will enable us to provide at-home play ideas, online mental health and wellbeing sessions, online play sessions and much more for disabled children, young people and their families, as well as our small, targeted service at The Yard, Edinburgh.

“We hope this support will offer fun, respite and a much-needed community of support for our families at this time. Thank you!”

Linda Jardine, Director of Children and Family Services, Children 1st, said: “Right now, more families across Scotland are getting the support they need to cope through the coronavirus crisis, thanks to The National Lottery Community Fund’s support for Parentline.

“Parentline is our digital family support service, offering help by phone, by webchat and online, every day of the week.  Families are telling us that as they face the strains of losing loved ones, mounting financial pressures and the stress of juggling the care their children need with work and other demands, the support Parentline offers is quite simply a lifeline.

“Parentline is here for any family in need of support on 08000 28 22 33, or online: www.children1st.org.uk/parentline.”

Announcing today’s funding totalling £3,384,222, The National Lottery Community Fund’s Scotland Director, Neil Ritch, said: “These awards, made possible by National Lottery players, are making an amazing contribution to the nation-wide response to combat the impact of COVID-19 on local communities across Scotland.  

“This funding will make a huge difference to the lives of thousands more people and highlights the vital work that’s being done in communities across the country at the moment.  It also reminds us all how important a package of tailored support can be to improve well-being and help forge a sense of belonging to a wider community again.”

The National Lottery Community Fund, over the next six months, will focus its National Lottery funding in Scotland on those projects that supporting organisations and communities to respond to the challenge of COVID-19.

To find out more visit www.TNLCommunityFund.org.uk    

We LOVE our community!

Scottish groups receive special National Lottery 25th birthday funding to bring their great community ideas to life 

  • Scottish projects are among the lucky recipients of The National Lottery’s special 25th birthday fund
  • Minishant Social and Leisure Club in Ayrshire, Kinellar Community Hall in Aberdeenshire and Friends of Starbank Park in Edinburgh are amongst the groups spreading love in their communities and bringing people together
  • #CelebrateNationalLottery25 invited applications from anyone with a great idea to make a difference in their local community

last year’s event at Starbank Park

The National Lottery is using Valentine’s Day to reveal some of the local champions who love their community so much that they applied for a special grant to do something positive locally – and were successful.

Over 200 projects in Scotland will receive money from the fund – called #CelebrateNationalLottery25 – after they applied to the £2 million pot last December. Among them is local group Friends of Starbank Park.

The fund, which has now closed, invited applications from anyone with a great idea to make a difference in their local community. Up to £1,000 was available to them, showing that no individual or idea is too small to make a big difference and bring people together across the Scotland.

An award of £250 means that the Friends of Starbank Park will be able to organise a very special Cherry Blossom Picnic at the picturesque community park in North Edinburgh.

Graham Buckley said; “This brilliant funding from The National Lottery means that this year in May we can open up this even further by inviting groups of disadvantaged people from surrounding areas to join our annual Cherry Blossom picnic events.

“We hope that this will lead to these groups and individuals, especially the children, start using this unique park on a regular basis in the future.” 

An award of £1,000 to Minishant Social and Leisure Group means that the small village in South Ayrshire is able to host its first community gala for 20 years. 

Jackie Murray said: “This is amazing, we have little amenities here and we are extremely grateful to have received this money from The National Lottery to help us organise our Gala Day in June this year.

“As many of us who live here will remember this used to be such a highlight that everyone looked forward to each summer.  The money will be used to lease the grounds and buildings required, hire inflatables and the carriage for the king and queen.   Our Gala Day will see neighbours of all ages coming together to socialise and I can’t think of a better way to pull community spirits back together.”

In Aberdeenshire, Kinellar Community Hall receives £1,000 to organise a very special party for the local community which will celebrate the hall’s 15th birthday.

Kirsty Quin said: “What a wonderful way to celebrate our community hall’s birthday. We are having an afternoon tea party on 29 February with lots of entertainment and a performance from the local school choir.

“The hall is in the heart of our village and this event will be a very special way for the whole community to get together. Thanks so much from all the Kinellar Community Hall staff and board.”

The National Lottery Community Fund Scotland Director, Neil Ritch, said: “It’s fantastic to see people’s love for their communities inspiring them to use National Lottery funding to make great things happen – we’ve been blown away by all the great ideas.

“#CelebrateNationalLottery25 is supporting a wide variety of projects across Scotland this year, all bringing people together to show the impact that small grants can make.”

Thanks to National Lottery players, more than £40 billion has been raised for good causes in the areas of arts, sport, heritage and community over the last 25 years.

#CelebrateNationalLottery25 is funded and delivered by The National lottery Community Fund, the largest funder of community activity in the UK.

The #CelebrateNationalLottery25 fund marked the culmination of a major campaign by The National Lottery celebrating its impact over the past 25 years and thanking players for contributing £30 million to good causes every week.

The National Lottery Community Fund is responsible for giving out money raised by National Lottery players for good causes.  Last year it gave out over £36m of National Lottery funding to community projects across Scotland. Over 1291 projects benefitted from this, enabling people and communities to bring their ideas to life.

To find out more visit www.TNLCommunityFund.org.uk   

A first for Scotland: Recovery on board a canal boat in Edinburgh

On Tuesday (19th November), Joe Fitzpatrick – Minister for Public Health, Sport and Well-being will cut the ribbon and formally launch Scotland’s first canal boat providing services for the recovery community.

The Sorted Project is an Edinburgh charity established in 2008.  In recent years they have been hiring a canal boat on the Union Canal to support men and women in recovery from substance dependency and associated mental health issues.  The success of this work inspired the National Lottery Fund to support the commission of a fully accessible purpose-built canal boat named Panacea.

The service provides a tranquil environment where training and volunteering opportunities are available.

Project Manager Karen Bradford said: “We decided to launch Panacea on this date as it would be a special way to say thank you to the National Lottery Community Fund and to everyone who buys a National Lottery ticket.  

“Activity in recovery is an essential part of being well.  Our work helps to build resilience through being part of a community, being part of a crew and building hope for the future.  Learning to drive and crew a 60ft boat is a powerful way to learn new transferable skills and build self-belief and confidence.

“Funding from the National Lottery Community Fund has enabled us to develop this unique project and we have included people in recovery in not only shaping our work, but also designing the boat.  It’s a tremendous achievement and we are all very proud indeed.”

Tuesday 19th November is a significant date which sees the launch of Panacea and the 25th Birthday of the National Lottery. 

The boat was designed and built by specialist boat builders, Crafted Boats in Stoke Prior near Bromsgrove.  It was transported by road to Sandpoint Marina in Dumbarton.  A Sorted Project crew of 9 including staff, board members, volunteers and participants sailed the boat all the way back to Ratho near Edinburgh.  The journey took 4 days and was a wonderful experience and a great achievement for everyone involved.

Public Health Minister Joe FitzPatrick said: “It is a pleasure to launch the Panacea which offers such a unique and enterprising way to help people recover from their substance use and improve their mental health.

“Our drugs strategy challenges services to better meet the complex health and social needs of those who are most at risk and deliver services that address their specific circumstances.

“The Sorted Project is delivering a service which offers individuals the chance to develop their confidence and skills in a tranquil and relaxing setting where they can focus on their recovery.”

The Sorted Project is now delivering this unique service and aims to reach recovery communities along the Union Canal.

The launch event starts at midday with the ribbon cutting ceremony taking place at 3pm.

www.facebook.com/sortedproject

Celebrating The National Lottery’s £96m investment into Scottish befriending projects

To mark World Kindness Day today, and as part of the National Lottery’s 25th Birthday celebrations, The National Lottery Community Fund is shining a spotlight on the £96 million it has invested into befriending projects in Scotland over the last 25 years.

During this time, The National Lottery has given money to over 920 befriending projects in Scotland, providing companionship for people of all ages.

Continue reading Celebrating The National Lottery’s £96m investment into Scottish befriending projects

Brothers and sisters to reunite thanks to Lottery funding

Two city-based projects are celebrating news this morning that they have received a National Lottery cash boost. Multi-Cultural Family Base and Libertus are among nine projects sharing in £881,000 Community Fund cash. Continue reading Brothers and sisters to reunite thanks to Lottery funding

£2 million Lottery boost to help Scots communities thrive

Isolated older people in Edinburgh, young people with autism in East Dunbartonshire and families affected by domestic abuse in Aberdeenshire are amongst those benefiting from a £2 million National Lottery funding boost announced today.  Continue reading £2 million Lottery boost to help Scots communities thrive

Communities all set for summer with £1 million funding boost

No matter what the weather has in store, it’s going to be a summer to remember for community groups across Scotland as National Lottery Award for All Scotland today announces a bumper package of grants worth £1.1 million.  Continue reading Communities all set for summer with £1 million funding boost

£1.9 million boost for young Scots: Citadel secures Young Start support

Virtual reality gaming, fashion and textile and film making workshops are amongst a wide range of design related activities that will boost the skills of thousands of young Scots thanks to £1.9 of funding announced today. Continue reading £1.9 million boost for young Scots: Citadel secures Young Start support

National Lottery funding gets lives back on track

£4 million funding boost for 29 Scottish groups

Four Edinburgh projects were among 29 groups to receive a share of £4 million Lottery grants announced today.

Edinburgh City Youth Cafe (above) receive £195,000 to develop their project which offers support to young people who have been victims of crime, while get2gether have been awarded £145,000 to deliver a range of social events for people with disabilities. Hibernian Community Foundation have scored £148,500 to deliver a three year programme of activites for older people experiencing social isolation and the Welcoming Association has been awarded over £118,000 to continue to run and further develop their befriending programme for newly-arrived refugees.

The Hibernian Community Foundation project, which is participant led, will  deliver a wide range of activities including IT skills, gardening, walking, cooking, music and a holiday programme. The programme will also provide volunteering opportunities and will engage with almost 400 people across the life of the project.

Brenda Black, Hibernian Community Foundation Manager, said: “We are really pleased to receive this award and it will allow us to continue to build on our community engagement with older people.

“Our aim is to build our connections to help improve health and wellbeing and reduce social isolation for older people in our communities”.

MORE Scots recovering from addiction will get a second chance at life as an award winning bicycle refurbishing project in West Lothian today receives National Lottery cash to expand its activities and open its doors to more people. 

1st Step, run by staff and volunteers many of whom have been affected by addiction, is one of 29 groups across the country sharing in £4,165,316 from the National Lottery Community Fund.  

The group (above) receives £137,934 to develop and continue its bike refurbishment programme, 1st Step Bikes, for people in recovery in West Lothian and Falkirk. Based in Linlithgow Community Recycling Centre, it provides new skills and volunteering opportunities to people like 1st Step Bike Mechanic Stephen McKnight, 37, who credits the group for helping him to rebuild his life after nearly two decades of being stuck in addiction and the criminal justice system.

Stephen said: “I first became involved with 1st Step Bikes in 2016 with a simple idea of creating a group for people affected by addiction, like me, to learn some transferable skills. The plan was to break some of the isolation that addiction can cause and make some connections between ourselves and other support networks within the community.

“Over the last three years I have been one of the lead mechanics within the project, which has given me structure to my life and taught me to be responsible. Most importantly, it has helped me to repair and rebuild relationships with my loved ones. Enabling me to be a son, a brother, a partner and a father which would not have been possible without the continuous support from 1st Step and the new relationships I have been able to make.”

Volunteers at 1st Step Bikes fix up old unwanted bikes and give them a new lease of life before they are sold or gifted back to the community. In doing so they complete an accredited training course and thereafter many move onto more positive destinations such as paid work or college.

Maria Throp, Development Manager, 1st Step Development Ventures, said: “We are all extremely excited to have received this award from the National Lottery. It will make a huge difference to what our team can achieve in terms of providing support and training for people and families getting their lives back on track after being affected by addiction.

“We are a community group run by a mixture of people, many of whom have been affected by addiction. Anyone can be affected by addiction at any time in their lives and it can have huge impacts for individuals, families and communities.

“At 1st Step we’re all about getting people together to provide a positive environment, where they can support each other and work together, and make a real difference to themselves, each other and the wider community.

“We are also very grateful for the support of our local partners including Police Scotland, West Lothian College and West Lothian Council who let us base our workshop at the Linlithgow Recycling Centre. By working together we can really get things done.”

Announcing today’s funding to 29 projects across Scotland, Maureen McGinn, The National Lottery Community Fund Scotland Chair, said: “This £4minvestment will allow more groups across Scotland to expand and develop their activities to help improve the health and wellbeing of hundreds of people and their families.

“Through these projects, people will gain new skills and confidence to help achieve their ambitions and move on to more positive destinations. I want to say thanks to all the National Lottery players who have helped make this possible.”

Last year The National Lottery Community Fund gave out over £48m of National Lottery funding to community projects across Scotland. Over 1130 projects benefitted from this, enabling people and communities to bring their ideas to life.

To find out more visit www.TNLCommunityFund.org.uk