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Helping young people into employment, providing additional support for disadvantaged families and providing community transport for isolated older people are just some of the many activities being supported, thanks to the latest grants from the Big Lottery Fund.

Yesterday 11 Scottish groups are sharing in £4,193,611 from the Fund’s Investing in Communities scheme, which aims to support those individuals, families and communities in greatest need.

A full list is available here

Big Lottery Fund Scotland Chair, Maureen McGinn, said: “Investing in Communities funding helps people and communities most in need. Yesterday, we awarded £5.3 million which will make a positive impact, helping change lives and supporting 13 community projects to grow and expand across the country. From community transport for older people in the Highlands, through to employment and training opportunities for young people in central Scotland, these projects will make a measurable difference where it is most needed."

In the Highlands, an award of £151,944 will enable Connect Assynt Ltd to expand and develop their community transport service for older, isolated people. This will help them to be more independent while making new friendships and taking part in activities at the Assynt Centre, which provides a range of services including a lunch club, a range of social activities, laundry facilities and a hairdresser.

A project aiming to help young people in East Dunbartonshire, North Lanarkshire and Stirling into employing and training roles also picks up a grant of £418,639. Over five years, Twechar Community Action will provide hundreds of vulnerable young people with a mix of practical work experience and training around landscaping and horticultural activities.

Other groups sharing in yesterday’s funding are:

Healthy n Happy    
Award: £593,450
This project will match isolated older people, living in Clydesdale, Rutherglen, Cambuslang and East Kilbride with volunteers who will provide practical and emotional support to help them access new activities and services that will help them to live independently.

The Rock Trust        
Award: £686,238
This project will support young people in Edinburgh who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless to obtain the confidence and skills to access and sustain housing, employment and training or volunteering opportunities.

Momentum Scotland
Award: £616,925
This project will work with 480 people who have a brain injury to improve their financial literacy, money management skills, and access to financial opportunities and benefits.

Dean and Cauvin Trust         
Award: £399,595 
This project will provide a structured transition for young people leaving care. The project aims to build on existing work by providing group activities and core skills to help young people to move into and sustain a tenancy.

Enterprise Childcare         
Award: £275,343
This existing project will provide support to parents and carers living in Inverclyde through training courses, informal parenting groups and adult/child workshops.

Falkirk and District Association for Mental Health  
Award: £240,132 
This project will support older people with reduced mental wellbeing from Falkirk and the surrounding area through one to one, group and telephone befriending by trained volunteers. It will also encourage older people to take up volunteering opportunities.

North East Sensory Services        
Award: £436,523
This project will support 160 older people aged 65 years old and over with severe visual and hearing impairments throughout Aberdeen and Moray, to overcome practical and emotional challenges they experience, to be independent, in their home or sheltered housing.

Rainbow Care Centre        
Award: £166,966
This project will support up to 750 at risk and isolated older people in Glasgow through a befriending, mobile befriending and welfare rights information and advice.

Action for Children
Award: £207,856
This group will expand its young carers service in the Scottish Borders and will work  in all 63 primary schools to identify and support young carers aged seven to 12.

We are also announcing £240,012 of grants to 26 projects, across Scotland, from Big Lottery Fund Scotland’s Investing in Ideas programme. Details of those grants will be available on our website http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/news-and-events/.

Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 0141 242 1458
Website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk
Twitter: @BIGScotland #biglf 
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BigLotteryFundScotland

Notes to editors

• The Big Lottery Fund is responsible for giving out 40% of the money raised by the National Lottery.
• The Fund is committed to bringing real improvements to communities and the lives of people most in need and has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK. Since its inception in 2004 it has awarded close to £6bn.
• In the year ending 31 March 2013, 28% of total National Lottery revenue was awarded to projects. Since the National Lottery began in 1994, £31 billion has been raised and more than 400,000 grants awarded.