Residents suffering from rural and social isolation across Scotland and people living with mental health problems who are suffering financial hardship are just some of the people whose lives are to be changed thanks to a bumper £3.9 million New Year funding boost announced yesterday (JANUARY 14) from the Big Lottery Fund Scotland. As of yesterday six groups will be able to support communities and families in greatest need, helping them through challenging times. 

An award of £1,079,843 to Friockheim Community Hub in Angus will allow the group to create “FriockHub” – a community hub to help overcome key local issues of social isolation, unemployment, and anti-social behaviour as well as halting the drift to becoming purely a commuter area. The hub will offer a range of facilities including multi-purpose meeting spaces; lunch clubs; a kitchen and cafe; a fitness suite; youth, pre-school and mother and toddler facilities; IT training suite; and business start-up offices for rent.

Dougie Pond, Chairman of FriockHub, said: “We are delighted to have been offered a Big Lottery Scotland grant which will allow us to develop a facility - in the heart of the village - which will offer many activities and spaces to support, sustain and develop Friockheim and its rural surroundings. It means the local community will be able to own and develop an exciting, modern, stimulating hub. This will be a quality base from which the community can offer, manage and deliver a variety of much needed activities, facilities and services.”

Citizens Advice Scotland receives an award of £562,271 to fund its Advice in Mind project in North and South Lanarkshire which aims to help those living with mental health issues who are vulnerable to financial hardship. The service aims to offer early intervention so that problems can be tackled before they get out of hand and crises can be averted. A holistic service will be offered with a dedicated money and debt advisor covering welfare benefits, money and debt, and energy savings. 
   
David Brownlee, Head of Bureau Services at Citizens Advice Scotland, said: “We are really pleased to be awarded this grant. We know that good advice from the Citizens Advice Bureaux can be a real practical help to individuals and this funding will really help people with mental health conditions in Lanarkshire. Our service will work with the NHS to support people with their problems in times of crisis, and also build their confidence for the future.  This Advice in Mind project will be of real benefit to people in Lanarkshire, and we are now looking to develop similar services elsewhere in Scotland.”

Maureen McGinn, Big Lottery Fund Scotland Chair, said yesterday: “Our Big Lottery Fund support focuses on people and communities in greatest need. With today’s awards, six projects across the country will help people facing a variety of challenges move through tough times to a better future. From helping a rural community overcome problems to providing vital advice and support to people living with mental health conditions who are at risk of financial hardship, this life changing money will make a huge difference to thousands of people across the country.”

Other projects sharing in Big Lottery Fund grants totalling £3,913,984 are:

The Living Memory Association
£383,229
Edinburgh
The “Little Shop of Memory” project will develop and expand reminiscence work to help reduce social isolation of older people enhancing their ability to lead independent lives.

Argyll and Bute Third Sector Interface
£502,151
Argyll and Bute
The “1000 Voices” project aims to support older people by providing a range of community interaction support to help those suffering rural isolation, loneliness and lack of mobility.

Fullarton Community Association
£1,127,389
North Ayrshire
The association will build a new community hub on the site of the existing centre which includes a training kitchen, community cafe, and multi-purpose meeting space.

Citadel Youth Centre
£259,101
Edinburgh
The “Citadel Families Project” offers a holistic community based support for families and children aged 5-12 deemed as being at risk at home, school, or in the community.

Big Lottery Fund Press Office contact: Colin Calder
Telephone: 0141 242 1484
Email: colin.calder@biglotteryfund,org.uk
Website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk
Twitter: @BIGSCOTLAND #biglottery
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BigLotteryFundScotland

Notes to Editors:

• The Big Lottery Fund supports the aspirations of people who want to make life better for their communities across the UK. We are responsible for giving out 40% of the money raised by the National Lottery and invest over £650 million a year in projects big and small in health, education, environment and charitable purposes.
• Since June 2004 we have awarded over £8 billion to projects that change the lives of millions of people. Every year we fund 13,000 small local projects tackling big social problems like poor mental health and homelessness.
• Since the National Lottery began in 1994, £34 billion has been raised and more than 450,000 grants awarded.