WIREDGOV

Families and individuals facing financial hardship are to benefit from a cash injection of over £500,000 the Big Lottery Fund Scotland announced yesterday (27 MAY). 

Three projects providing practical advice and support to people in need are among a wider range of 15 community groups across the country sharing in over £4 million from the Fund’s Investing in Communities programme.

Announcing the investment, Big Lottery Fund Scotland Chair, Maureen McGinn, said: “In difficult economic times, we know that many more individuals and families rely on the support of their communities to help them cope. Today’s funding will support a range of projects including a food bank, information on welfare rights, and money advice, all of which will help increase people’s financial capability and their understanding of the support available to them. The projects share the common aim of helping to improve people’s lives, so I am delighted to announce today’s awards.”

Hillhead Housing Association in Kirkintilloch provides confidential advice and support for local residents on benefit entitlements and basic debt advice. A grant of £216,732 will secure an additional welfare rights officer post to help meet an increasing demand for the service.

Stephen Macintyre, Director, said: “We welcome this grant from the Big Lottery Fund which will enable the Association to expand its existing Welfare Rights facility. It will ensure a more holistic service and let us appoint an additional Welfare Rights Officer who will work alongside existing welfare rights, tenancy support and money advice colleagues, ensuring that advice and assistance can be addressed in a shorter timescale.”

Alloa Round Table will use their grant of £74,600 to extend their existing food bank project to fund food banks in other areas of Clackmannanshire. They will also bring together a number of agencies to offer support and advice to alleviate food poverty and the causes of food poverty.

Andrew Mitchell, Chair of Alloa Round Table, said: “Big Lottery Funding will ensure that the Round Table Food Bank will continue for the next two years and expand to other areas within Clackmannanshire. The funding will also allow for one to one support for food bank users by trained staff who will listen to their needs and provide a tailored assistance programme which will enable them to positively contribute to the local community.”

Irvine Housing Association’s Springboard project will offer people living in parts of North and East Ayrshire, and Dumfries and Galloway advice and support on money, affordable warmth, and employability. A grant of £250,490 will enable staff to help with budgeting, reducing outgoings, prioritising debt and accessing bank and credit union facilities, and welfare benefits.

Nicola Thom, Executive Director Operations, said: “This grant will make an enormous difference to local people living close to or below the poverty line. We believe that people can aspire to and achieve so much more than circumstances have taught them to accept. We are delighted that Big Lottery Fund Scotland is supporting this project which will allow us to assist isolated and challenged families along the path to become more financially stable within their local communities.”

Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 0141 242 1451
Out of hours media contact: 07823 552 889
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 for good causes 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 returned to the Good Causes. Since the National Lottery began in 1994, £31 billion has been raised and more than 400,000 grants awarded.
• The Scotland Committee makes Big Lottery Fund decisions on Scottish projects.  As well as taking devolved decisions on Lottery spending, the Committee, led by Chair, Maureen McGinn, has and will continue to play a strategic role in the future direction of BIG in Scotland.
• The Big Lottery Fund is investing in Scotland’s communities through its Investing in Communities portfolio, as well as a number of small grants schemes.