WIREDGOV

Practical support for vulnerable families in Inverclyde, health and wellbeing activities for older people in Dumfries and volunteering and training opportunities for outdoor lovers in Dundee are amongst the good causes sharing in £1,211,087 of National Lottery funding.

The cash, awarded by the Big Lottery Fund, will support twelve Scottish groups to run projects and activities that make communities stronger and those within them more connected. Full list of awards at the end of this release.

Families in Clackmannanshire, who are experiencing a range of challenging circumstances, are to benefit from additional practical and emotional support, thanks to grant of £90,834. As Shelley Bowman, Manager, Home-Start Clackmannanshire explains, the funding will allow the group to work with more people through the expansion of its family support service.

“We are delighted to receive three years funding from the Big Lottery Fund. This award will allow us to offer emotional and practical support to more local young families who need a ‘friend’ to help them through a difficult period in their lives.  Our support will help to build the resilience of each family, so they are happier and healthier and feel better able to cope with their daily challenges.”

New friendships will be formed in Dumfries and Galloway as Creetown Initiative Ltd receives £90,000 to provide a range of activities that will improve the health and wellbeing of rurally isolated older people. Activities will include a lunch club, a befriending club, computer classes, music sessions and local trips with transport provided.

Creetown Initiative Ltd Chairman, Tim Stephenson, said: “Rural communities are faced with an ever increasing ageing population. Often over-looked, some of the elderly in our communities make a major contribution through volunteering and by passing on their knowledge and experience. However some elderly people are isolated because of health, mobility or transport issues and many of them have little contact with the outside world. This project will look at ways we can reduce isolation, provide and develop programmes that offer long-term support. It will provide ways that help our senior citizens become involved in village life and how they can contribute.”

A project using the greenspace along the Dighty Burn in Dundee to connect people to a range of environmental and social opportunities on their doorstep yesterday received an award of £148,000. EDEN (East Dundee Environment Network) SCIO will use the funding to transform the pathways and greenspaces around this community asset while introducing a programme of arts, outdoor learning and conservation activities.

Ann Lolley project coordinator, EDEN, said: “We are pleased to have been awarded this funding. It will allow us to work alongside local people to improve the run-down entrances to the Dighty Burn from the community of Douglas so that more people can enjoy the wildlife, water, green spaces and footpaths along the burn.”

Announcing the awards, Maureen McGinn, Big Lottery Fund Scotland Chair, yesterday said: “Today we are awarding funding to twelve diverse community projects which share a common theme – they all have the local community at their heart and are focused on bringing people together to make new connections. From conservation activities around the Dighty Burn in Dundee to new health and wellbeing activities for older isolated people in Dumfries, these projects will help people make new friendships, learn new skills and connect to local services in their area.”

Other awards announced yesterday:

Ardrossan Music Experience [SCIO]
Award - £98,950
This group will use the funding to continue to run a programme of music events in Ardrossan. This will include song writing and performance workshops, gigs featuring local performers, concerts for older people and a series of local foodbank awareness events. The group will also organise a music event in July and its annual ‘Sound on the Sand’ event in September.

Kilmarnock Town Centre Partnership
Award - £69,000
This group will use the funding to help it develop as a credible and sustainable community-led organisation for Kilmarnock. It will promote activity that addresses disadvantage, poverty and exclusion through active citizenship, learning and community engagement activities.

Fife Council
Award - £45,177
This organisation will pilot a one year holiday activity club for 50 days during Summer, October and Easter holidays and will offer 50 places each day to pupils attending Warout Primary School in Auchmuty, Glenrothes.

The Stove Network Limited
Award - £129,519
This group will use the arts and creativity as tools to involve the local community in shaping the future of the town of Dumfries. Activities will include a mixture of open public events including the Nithraid River festival, community-programmed cinema, consultation events, skills training in creative industries and schools and college outreach based activities.

Gorebridge Community Development Trust
Award - £150,000
This group will use the funding to support the first two years of operation of the new multi-purpose community-owned Beacon facility in Gorebridge. The facility will host a wide range of community events, local services and a café.

Projekt 42
Award - £90,000
This group will use the funding to run group classes addressing both physical fitness and good mental health from a new facility in the heart of Leith. It will enable the group to provide a free after school fitness club for under-18s and courses targeted at young men experiencing poor mental health.

Lothians Veterans Centre (LVC)
Award: £60,000
This project, based in Dalkeith, will tackle the social isolation and loneliness amongst former members of the armed forces and their families in the Lothians and Edinburgh. It will provide a range of services and activities around housing/benefits advice, comradeship, health and wellbeing and employability at its drop-in centre and through outreach activities.

Volunteer Development Centre East Lothian (STRiVE)
Award: £144,000 
This group will use the funding to establish their 'Engage' befriending project for young people aged 8-14 living in areas of deprivation across East Lothian. STRiVE will recruit and train a team of volunteers who will work with the young people.

FEAT Trading Community Interest Company
Award: £95,607
This group will deliver a project within Silverburn Park, Leven and will employ an Operations Manager who will be responsible for further developing the Friends of Silverburn group.

Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 0141 242 1458
Website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk
Twitter: @BIGSCOTLAND #BIGScotland
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.
• The Big Lottery Fund Scotland is focussed on helping people and communities most in need throughout Scotland through its five-year £250m funding scheme as well as small grants scheme National Lottery Awards for All Scotland.
• Since March 2007 Big Lottery Fund Scotland has taken devolved decisions on National Lottery spending, the Committee, led by Chair, Maureen McGinn plays a strategic role in the future direction of the Fund in Scotland.
• Since June 2004 we have awarded over £8 billion to projects across the UK 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, £37 billion has been raised and more than 520 grants awarded.