The Vittoria Group has revealed the first two beneficiaries of its new Vittoria Giving Back programme, launched last month in honour of the group’s 55th anniversary, to support local organisations making a difference across Edinburgh.
The inaugural recipients Teens+ and Prospect Bank School were selected from the first round of applications, with each receiving donations worth up to £1,000. Rather than providing cash, the Vittoria Group chose to fund specific items requested by each organisation, ensuring the support would deliver long-term, practical impact.
Teens+, a transitional education service, based beside Vittoria on the Walk on McDonald Road, supports young adults with complex learning difficulties across its four centres in Edinburgh and East Lothian, helping learners gain confidence and prepare for life beyond school.
As technology becomes central to everyday independence, whether communicating online, completing coursework, making bookings or working toward qualifications, Teens+ highlighted the growing need for accessible IT equipment. The group will receive a specialist laptop to help students build essential digital skills and engage safely in an increasingly online world.
The second recipient is Prospect Bank School in Leith, which supports primary-aged children with complex, long-term additional support needs, including intellectual disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorder.
The school focuses on helping pupils communicate, manage sensory input, and participate in meaningful learning experiences. Funding from Vittoria Giving Back will enable the purchase of a SENSIS Cube – a piece of sensory play equipment designed for spinning, swinging and climbing, offering pupils calming or stimulating activities tailored to their needs.
The Vittoria Group is encouraging local schools, charities, youth groups and community organisations to apply for the next round of support.
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.
