Tag: Passion4Fusion

Edinburgh youth charities awarded over £450k in dormant assets funding

Young people in Edinburgh are set to benefit from a share of more than £3 million (£3,092,915) awarded today (Wednesday 29th October) to 40 project across Scotland run for and by young people. 

Seven youth projects from across Edinburgh will share a total award of over £450,000. These are Granton Youth, Multicultural Family Base. Passion4Fusion, Children in Scotland, Lothian Autistic Society, The Fruitmarket Gallery and Think Circus.

The dormant assets funding from Young Start and delivered by The National Lottery Community Fund, helps 8-24 year olds build confidence, develop confidence and thrive in their communities.  

Each organisation will use its share of funding to deliver projects that will boost wellbeing, encourage community involvement and equip young people with the skills to excel and champion their voices. See full list of projects.
 
Passion4Fussion receives £65,529 to develop and expand its sports outreach, volunteering and peer mentoring programme to support at least 180 children and young people in Edinburgh and West Lothian, helping them to build their confidence and leadership skills.  

Vinomaandero Tjihumino, 22, joined the charity as a young person before becoming a volunteer coach.  

He said: “When I first came to Edinburgh, I had no friends and felt isolated as an immigrant. Joining Passion4Fusion changed everything, I made so many friends, grew in confidence, and later became a volunteer.

“The organisation supported me through my coaching licence, and now I’m studying a sports programme at university! I’m so proud that I can give back to my community and help others overcome the same challenges I once faced.” 

When asked what the Young Start funding means for the charity, Isaac Akhadelor, Project Coordinator, Passion4Fusion said: “This funding will be transformational for our sports programme.

“It’s empowering us to reach more young people across Edinburgh and West Lothian, using sport as a tool for inclusion, confidence-building, and community connections.” 

Another organisation, The Fruitmarket Gallery, also based in Edinburgh will use its £57,286 grant to launch and run its Youth ART Connects project, which aims to engage young people aged 16 to 25 who are blind and or visually impaired, from ethnically minoritised communities, and or identify as LGBTQIA+, to create three bodies of work to be exhibited at The Fruitmarket Gallery. 
 
The Youth ART Connects project will run over two years supporting young people through the creative process and providing career and access opportunities within the arts and culture sector.  
 
Tracy Morgan, Community Engagement Manager, The Fruitmarket Gallery said: “Delivered by Fruitmarket in partnership with leading artists and youth organisations across Scotland, this programme aims to reshape how galleries engage with young people – creating lasting change by amplifying the voices and visions of those who deserve to be seen, heard, and celebrated.”  

EDINBURGH AWARDEES:

Children in Scotland £62,250

This group will use funding to run the two year ‘My Rights, My Say. Building Bridges’ project, led by young advisors aged 12-15 year old with additional support needs (ASN), aims to empower and connect children and young people with ASN across Scotland while bridging the gap with education professionals.

Granton Youth Ltd £53,481

This group will use the funding to support up to 60 young people aged 14-25, in Granton, across two years. The young people will be supported to volunteer, peer mentor and work toward accreditation with recognised awards.

Lothian Autistic Society £99,518

This group will provide wrap around support and mentoring for 45 young people with autism and other developmental disabilities, aged 12-18 years old in Edinburgh and the surrounding area, over three years.

Multi-Cultural Family Base £65,785

This group will use two years funding to deliver and expand their Young Ambassadors programme, for 60 young people aged 12-15.

Passion4Fusion £65,529

This group will use funding to develop and expand their sports outreach, volunteering and peer mentoring programme for up to 200 young people from ethnically minoritised communities, aged eight-24 years.

The Fruitmarket Gallery £57,286

This group will use their funding to engage with young people from three underrepresented groups (blind and visually impaired, ethnically minoritised communities, and LGBTQIA+ young people), over two years, in Edinburgh within the arts sector to create three bodies of work to be exhibited at the Fruitmarket Gallery.

Think Circus SCIO £49,415

This group will use the funding to support up to 65 girls from primary six to first year in high school in Edinburgh, over two years.

See below for full list of successful applications:

LOTTERY – YOUTH GRANTSDownload

Announcing the funding Kate Still, Scotland Chair, The National Lottery Community Fund said:  “Organisations such as Passion4Fusion and The Fruitmarket Gallery empower young people to play an active leadership role in their local and wider community.

“Equipping them with the skills, network and confidence they need to unlock their full potential.  
 
“We’re incredibly grateful to support them on this journey through this latest round of Young Start funding, that will improve the lives of young people across Scotland, through 40 inspiring projects.” 

Young Start helps young people aged eight to 24 become more confident and play an active part in realising their potential. Funding of up to £100,000 is available for youth led projects.

Groups can apply by emailing advicescotland@tnlcommunityfund.org.uk or calling 0300 123 7110.                 

Find out more at:

https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding/programmes/young-start         

Over 200 people attend international football tournament in support of Armed Forces charity Poppyscotland

Over 200 people attended an international fun football tournament in North Edinburgh recently, whilst also learning about the important work carried out by Armed Forces charity Poppyscotland.

An excited crowd watched as 10 teams, made up of staff from State Street Corporation – the American global financial services and bank holding company – from across the globe joined teams from Poppyscotland and Passion4Fusion to compete in the competition at Ainslie Park, the home of Spartans Community Football Club.

Players had descended on the capital city from Scotland, England, France, Luxembourg, Poland, Ireland, Italy and Germany, with the home team of State Street Edinburgh crowned the champions.

As well as the football, over the course of the afternoon spectators also enjoyed a fully licenced bar, a ‘braai’ (South African BBQ), DJ’s and musicians providing some top entertainment. Poppyscotland’s interactive mobile museum, BUD, was also on location sharing the charity’s archive, veterans’ stories and the poppy’s heritage. 

Damian Doran-Timson, Corporate Fundraiser at Poppyscotland said: “We are extremely grateful to State Street for hosting this annual tournament and we would like to thank both them and Spartans for making the event happen.

“I would also like to thank all of those who represented Poppyscotland and those who came along and supported us despite some awful weather – it was very much appreciated and greatly strengthened the excellent relationship we have with State Street.

“Every year they hold this event in a different country around the world and in support of a different charity, so it was really special that this year’s tournament was here in Scotland and allowed us to demonstrate the excellent work we do at Poppyscotland in supporting serving and ex-servicemen and women at times of need, including help with housing, debt, mental health, and mobility.”

For more information on the charity and how your donations help the Armed Forces community please visit poppyscotland.org.uk

Create Community Wealth: End of project celebration

Join us for the Create Community Wealth End of Project Celebration on Tuesday 10 October (5pm – 8pm)🎉

The North Edinburgh Create Community Wealth team would like to invite you to our End of Project Celebration Event at West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre, which has been the home of the project for the last two years.

There will be taster sessions, workshops, short film screenings and possibly a mini market where you can see the fantastic work and hear the stories of the talented Create Community Wealth participants. This is a drop in event from 5 – 8pm, and everyone’s welcome to come along.

Create Community Wealth is part of a wider national Culture Collective programme and is a partnership between WHALE Arts, North Edinburgh Arts, SCOREscotland and Passion4Fusion.

For more information, please get in touch with Asia by emailing asia@northedinburgharts.co.uk

National Lottery funding helps empower local communities across Edinburgh

FRESH START AMONG THE BIG WINNERS

Charities and community groups across Edinburgh are today sharing in the latest round of funding from The National Lottery Community Fund. 

Thanks to National Lottery players, they are amongst 453 projects sharing in  £11, 824,401 for a range of activities, helping to empower and connect people in communities across Scotland. 

West Pilton’s FRESH START is among the big winners, receiving £180,000. The local charity will use the funding to continue to support people moving on from
homelessness across Northwest Edinburgh.

Across the three years of the project, the group will support approximately 5,800 people with 450 volunteers. Volunteers will be individuals with lived experience of homelessness.

Fresh Start said: “We are delighted to announce that we have been successful in our fundraising application to the National Lottery Community Fund.

“This award will allow us to continue to run our services, helping people with lived experience of homelessness, providing support through starter packs, the community pantry, community meals, empowering people with new skills, growing produce, cooking skills and having access to specialised advice.”

The National Lottery Community Fund, Scotland Chair, Kate Still, said: “National Lottery funding can make amazing things happen in local communities across the country.

“This project delivered by Fresh Start (Scotland), is a great example of community activity in action, showing just what can be achieved when people come together for a common cause or to help others.

“National Lottery players can be proud to know that the money they raise is helping to support this vital work which is making a real difference to so many.”

Edinburgh College received over £136,000 to continue delivery of their counselling service for students. The counselling is delivered by trained staff, either in
person or online, and is flexible to suit the schedule and needs of the individual in
need of support.

There was over £82,000 for Edinburgh Women’s Aid, who will use their funding to build an integrated mental health programme for women and children who have experienced domestic abuse.

As well as supporting hands on mental health delivery, this project will look to improve internal evaluation processes and engage with other services across Edinburgh to make their services more effective. The project will work with 555 people over the three year delivery period.

Dads Rock received £67,391. The project will continue to match trained peer support volunteers with new dads during the perinatal period who are experiencing anxiety, depression, difficulties in bonding with their new baby.

Passion4Fusion offer a range of programmes for the diverse needs of minority ethnic families in Edinburgh and the Lothians. Thanks to an award of £41,500 they will be able to offer a range of support services for black, African people dealing with long term conditions.

One service user Nala* (*not her real name) a 57-year-old African woman with a range of long-term health conditions who moved to Edinburgh to seek asylum.

Nala was missing important appointments as she struggled to read and interpret her medical letters in English. A worker from the project supported her to understand the health systems in Scotland, linked her with African groups and supported her at hospital appointments.

Nala said: “I am very happy I found people like me who can understand my situation. I was feeling very lonely and isolated but now I have my new African family I belong to.

“I am now able to do things that I haven’t been able to do in a while for instance, I really love going to the gym and I wouldn’t have done it without the support.”

Commenting on the project Huruma Health worker Lucrecia said “There is nothing more rewarding than helping others.

“As you can imagine, being alone in this country can be challenging and most of our service users have no immediate family members. The Huruma project creates culturally appropriate family support and a sense of belonging.”

Jonathan Ssentamu, Founder and CEO, Passion4Fusion, said “The Huruma Project continues to address the disproportionate impact of health inequalities affecting Africans in our community who are finding it difficult to access mainstream services.

“ This contribution is enabling us to support our service users, we’re so grateful for the continued support for our work.”

An award of £30,000 means that the Scottish Book Trust will run their ‘Reading is Caring’ programme for the next three years. 

The programme uses shared reading to support people living with dementia and anyone who cares for them and is designed to ease daily challenges of dementia by creating special moments of connection, sparking positive memories and relieving stress.

Martha and her husband Sandy took part in the project while caring for Martha’s mother Susan, who was living with dementia at the time.

Martha said: “Thank you again for your wonderful course – it added new skills and confidence to the way I read with Mum for her last few months and that was something very special.”

Commenting on the latest funding, Koren Calder, Project Manager, Scottish Book Trust, said: “This funding from The National Lottery Community Fund will allow us to reach more people living with dementia and the people who care for them, by creating new, flexible ways to access the benefits of the Reading is Caring programme.”

A neurodiversity charity is to launch a three-year specialist service for children and young people in Lanarkshire living with the challenges of neurodiversity thanks to Lottery funding.

Edinburgh-based Salvesen Mindroom Centre has been awarded £109,343 from The National Lottery Community Fund, made possible by National Lottery players, to deliver a dedicated one-to-one support service for children and young people who have neurodevelopmental conditions and neurodiverse families in North and South Lanarkshire.

The initiative will be led by two highly-skilled outreach specialists within the communities and address issues including problems surrounding the assessment and diagnosis of neurodevelopment conditions; securing appropriate help at school or in further and higher education; and dealing with complex correspondence and multiple agencies.

Support will be tailored to individuals and families and is aimed at achieving positive changes on a practical level and, through advocacy, ensuring the voices of children and young people are heard.

Between 15 and 20% of the population are estimated to be neurodivergent and Mindroom has witnessed a 137% rise in people using their services in Lanarkshire since 2018.

Chief Executive Officer Alan Thornburrow says: “We have seen at first hand the difference that receiving appropriate resources can make to neurodivergent children, young people and neurodiverse families in crisis.

“Over a number of years, we have steadily increased our caseload in Lanarkshire in response to a growing demand for our services and we’ve had some amazing feedback from clients whose lives have improved.

“This award from the National Lottery will help us ensure that many more people are helped and their lives transformed. We put the needs of the client at the very heart of our rights-based approach and aim to empower individuals, families and carers to become more confident and active participants in whatever they choose to do.

“We already have valuable, established relationships with a range of agencies and organisations in Lanarkshire including the NHS, Love Autism, schools and social work departments. This longer-term funding will enable us to build on these vital connections and increase our provision so that more neurodivergent children and young people and neurodiverse families can receive personalised help and benefit from opportunities for enhanced support.”

The National Lottery Community Fund, Scotland Chair, Kate Still: said: “National Lottery funding can make amazing things happen in local communities across the country.

“This project delivered by The Salvesen Mindroom Centre (SMC), is a great example of community activity in action, showing just what can be achieved when people come together for a common cause or to help others.

“National Lottery players can be proud to know that the money they raise is helping to support this vital work which is making a real difference to so many.”

The Lanarkshire initiative, funded under the National Lottery’s Improving Lives scheme, will run from September 1 this year to the end of August 2026.

For more information on the Salveson Mindroom Centre go to:  

https://www.mindroom.org/

Commenting on the latest grant round of funding The National Lottery Community Fund, Scotland Chair, Kate Still: said: “National Lottery funding continues to make extraordinary things happen in communities across Scotland.  

“I am delighted that this funding will be used to support projects across Edinburgh which have been developed by and for local people which will allow communities to come together to make life better for everyone.

National Lottery player players can be proud to know that that money they raise is helping to support this vital work in Edinburgh.”

The National Lottery Community Fund distributes funding on behalf of National Lottery players who raise more than £30 million each week for good causes throughout the UK.    

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

TNLCF-September-2023-PRDownload

£1.5 million Lottery support helps Edinburgh community groups adapt and recover from Covid-19

Edinburgh-based groups helping older people to re-connect, new parents feel less isolated and those with sight loss more empowered are amongst those today sharing in £1,483,518 of National Lottery funding.

The cash from The National Lottery Community Fund is being shared by 30 groups in the city helping local communities adapt and recover from COVID-19. 

As lockdown restrictions begin to lift members of the Royston Wardieburn Community Centre’s Spring Chicken’s group are hoping to reconnect in person and get back to the things they love with an award £9,940.

Neil Saddington, Equalities and Inclusion Worker with the group, said: “Most of the Spring Chickens group are elderly people who experience a variety of different health issues and disabilities.

“This essential National Lottery funding has enabled us to do valuable work to combat isolation and loneliness during the most recent lockdown. Now that restrictions are slowly being lifted, we are looking forward to one to one outdoor meet ups to support some of the most isolated members of the group get out and about again.”

There was more good news for another North Edinburgh project as FetLor youth club has also received National Lottery support.

The club said in a statement: “FetLor are delighted to have received an award from The National Lottery Community Fund.  We plan to use this funding to support our young people as they return to the Club after lockdown. 

“FetLor is a club at the heart of the north Edinburgh community and this funding will support the young people from that community as they make a return to what’s important; being with friends in a safe and supportive space.” 

FetLor Director, Richie Adams said, “This last year has been challenging both for our members and for our community.  As we move out of lockdown, we are delighted to be welcoming young people back into their club.  

“We are looking forward to supporting our members build resilience, achieve their potential and have great fun doing so!  The support from the National Lottery enables us to do all we can to make sure our members have a fun time thriving and growing at FetLor”  

Based in Edinburgh and working Scotland wide, Sight Scotland offers support to anyone impacted by sight loss, as well as their relatives, friends and carers.

Thanks to an award of £150,000, its Family Wellbeing service will providea range of support to address the loneliness and mental health impacts of sight-loss, and the additional impacts of Covid-19. 

Mark O’Donnell, Chief Executive of Sight Scotland, said: “A huge thank you to the National Lottery Community Fund for this funding. It will enable us to provide practical and emotional support to even more people affected by visual impairment in communities across Scotland via our recently established Family Wellbeing Service.

“With the number of people with sight loss in Scotland set to increase by 30,000 to over 200,000 in the next decade, it is vital that Sight Scotland is there for people with sight loss and their loved ones whenever and however they need us.”

An award of £107,000 goes to Passion4Fusion to deliver a health, wellbeing and support service for Black African people in Edinburgh and West Lothian.

Welcoming the award Jonathan Ssentamu of Passion4Fusion, said: “We are very excited and really grateful for the support of the National Lottery Community Fund to enable us to develop this much-needed project which will help to address the complex issues and needs that Black Africans are facing.

“Experience has shown us that many Black Africans living in poverty and deprivation would choose to be ‘invisible’ rather than admit to needing help and in turn seeking the help they need. Our Project will support people directly within their local community, making it as easy as possible to access culturally sensitive services that will allow them to thrive in life.”

“This essential National Lottery funding has enabled us to do valuable work to combat isolation and loneliness during the most recent lockdown. Now that restrictions are slowly being lifted, we are looking forward to one to one outdoor meet ups to support some of the most isolated members of the group get out and about again.”

Dads Rock will deliver group sessions to fathers on topics such as parenting advice, health and safety and mental health, thanks to an award of £9,950.

Lisa Holder, Fundraising Manager, said: “This funding will help us give online support to around 1000 parents across Scotland over the next year, helping them to feel less isolated and learn new skills.

“It will enable them to become more confident and resilient and their children will feel safe, loved and supported.”

Networking Key Services Limited is a community organisation working closely with South Asian and other ethnic minority communities in Edinburgh. 

Welcoming their £103,840 award, Naina Minhas, Manager, Networking Key Services Ltd, said: “The National Lottery funding we have received in the past has enabled us to set up a forum for South Asian female carers in Edinburgh.

“This new award will go a long way to address the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on South Asian communities and will enable us to support communities in their recovery from the challenges that have further widened pre-existing inequalities.”

Across the country 246 community projects are today sharing in £10,922,832. 

Announcing the funding, The National Lottery Community Fund’s Scotland Chair, Kate Still, said: “It’s great to see such a variety of projects being funded in Edinburgh to help local people adapt and recover from the physical and mental health impacts of COVID-19.

“National Lottery players can be proud to know that the money they raise is making such a difference, connecting local people to others in their communities.”

National Lottery players raise £30 million every week for good causes in the UK. 

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

Lottery boost for Edinburgh groups

Two Edinburgh groups supporting communities in different ways during the COVID-19 pandemic are the most recent recipients of cash from the National Lottery Community Fund.

The Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity (ECHC) receives an award of £10,000 to support children and families who are shielding due to ongoing health conditions.

Welcoming the funding, Victoria Buchanan, Deputy Director of Fundraising at ECHC, said: “We would like to say a huge thank you to the National Lottery Community Fund for their incredibly generous contribution towards our COVID-19 Emergency Appeal.

“This is a particularly difficult time for families known to the Sick Kids hospital as they are having to cope with the impact of the pandemic on top of the distress of having a sick or injured child.

“Thanks to donations like this, ECHC is helping to ease anxiety and bring comfort to families both in hospital and shielding at home through the provision of Emergency Care Packs filled with food, toiletries, arts and crafts and books – giving them a few less things to worry about.

“Thank you for standing beside children, young people and families when they need it the most.”

Claire Narrie, 32, from Bonnyrigg, has been shielding at home with her husband, John and son Josh (2) for the past three months.  Claire said: “Our son Josh has congenital heart disease and chronic lung disease and we have had to shield with him pretty much since he was born.

“Getting the care package was such a help as we didn’t want to risk going out and I was emotional when we got it delivered as it was a real act of kindness.  Josh was so excited to open the arts and crafts and it was a real surprise for him.  It really helped alleviate the stress we were going through and was a real lifeline which provided us with a link to the outside world.”

An award of £4,500 means that Passion4Fusion can run a series of online learning sessions and virtual classroom sessions for young people from BME communities living in Edinburgh and West Lothian.

Jonathan Ssentamu, Community Development Worker, Passion4Fusion, said: We are delighted that this funding from National Lottery Awards for All will help out community to thrive in Edinburgh and West Lothian.

“The project is being delivered by a group of staff, peer volunteers and young people who are peer leaders and who fully involved in the development and implementation of the programme. We envisage that this project and funding will put smiles again on the faces of BME young people and their families.”

The National Lottery Community Fund’s Scotland Director, Neil Ritch, said:  “I’d like to congratulate Edinburgh Hospital Children’s Charity and Passion4Fusion on their funding which has been made possible thanks to National Lottery players.

“This funding will make a huge difference to the lives of many people and reminds us all how important a package of tailored support can be to improve well-being and keep people connected.”