£100,000 cash boost to help Scottish children
8 Jul 2014 03:35 PM
Children and families in Scotland are today (8 JULY) celebrating grants worth £111,191 from the Communities and Families fund, an initiative supported by the Scottish Government and Big Lottery Fund.
Announcing the awards, Maureen McGinn, Chair of the Big Lottery Fund Scotland Committee, said: “I’m delighted to announce funding for today’s range of initiatives which include healthy cookery courses, support for young mums, and outdoor play activities. All the projects reflect the aim of the Communities and Families Fund which is to help give children the best start in life. We’re keen to hear from groups across the country which could benefit from this funding and details of our application process can be found on our website.”
The Scottish Wildlife Trust will use their grant of £9,400 to develop outdoor learning opportunities at Grangemouth’s Jupiter Urban Wildlife Centre to encourage more local children to attend the centre.
Rosie Black, Jupiter Ranger, The Scottish Wildlife Trust, said: “The Scottish Wildlife Trust is delighted to have received funding from Communities and Families for the Jupiter’s Wild Woods programme. Based in Grangemouth, Jupiter Urban Wildlife Centre provides a crucial greenspace where local children can learn and play. We had 1500 local school children attending educational sessions last year alone. Thanks to the Communities and Families Fund this number will not only increase it will see a wider range of educational opportunities become available with pupils now able to take part in Forest School sessions that will be offered free of charge to local primary schools and will be run in conjunction with Under the Trees.”
Glasgow based conFAB have received a grant of £9,530 to support pregnant teenage women and new mums from across the city. The project will create and bond mother and child relationships, prepare teenage pregnant women for pre and post birth, inspire and support mothers and provide peer support.
Rachel Jury, Artistic Director, conFAB, said: “We are delighted to be working with the inspiring and ground breaking Young Parent Support Base, based in Smithycroft Secondary, and using the arts as a tool for developing positive relationships with the unborn and new born child and parent. The Communities and Families Fund will enable us to take early action to help provide the best start in life for these young families which will have a positive impact on their friends, families, local communities and ultimately the whole of Scotland.”
For two projects the emphasis is on practical cooking sessions. An award of £9,720 forGarioch Community Kitchen will provide nutritional information to nurseries in Garioch and Formartine and cooking workshops for parents and their children. In the Scottish Borders,You Can Cook CIC will use their grant of £9,654 to run a series of cookery courses, in Innerleithen Family Centre, for parents of young children. You can read more about those on our blog, http://bigblogscotland.org.uk
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Aileen Campbell, Minister for Children and Young People, said: “The Scottish Government wants Scotland to be the best place in the world for children to grow up and a key part of achieving that involves helping families and communities to flourish. This joint venture with the Big Lottery Fund will help make that happen by allowing communities to bid for funding to deliver the kind of projects they need to improve the lives of local children and families. It’s good to see, once more, the great success of this programme with these latest announcements.”
The Communities and Families Fund has a budget of £4.5 million from The Scottish Government and £1.5 million from the Big Lottery Fund. Groups can apply for funding from £250 to £10,000. Find out more about the scheme and how to apply by visiting
www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/prog_communities_and_families_fund, or phoning 0300 1237110.
Other awards announced today are:-
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Summary
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Organisation Name
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Amount
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The group will purchase outdoor play equipment to enhance the community centre's child safe garden used by the under 5’s mother and toddler playgroup.
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Gorgie War Memorial Hall Community Centre, Edinburgh
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£3,912
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The group will develop its outdoor play area to provide a safe and stimulating environment for pre-school children.
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Holy Corner Community Playgroup, Bruntsfield, Edinburgh
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£1,500
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The group will work with families across north Glasgow providing emotional support and routines, activities and trips.
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North United Communities Ltd, Ruchill, Glasgow
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£10,000
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The group will refurbish their playground and small garden so children can plant and grow their own food.
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Grange Pre-School Playgroup, Angus
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£8,885
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The group will take pupils to a pantomime in Inverness and hold a Funday for the school, nursery and a local toddler group and their families.
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Deshar Primary School Parent Council, Boat of Garten, Highlands
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£1,280
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The group will provide childcare provision for mothers with post natal depression.
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North Berwick Community Centre Management Committee, East Lothian
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£10,000
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This group will set up a baby and toddler group for young mums to include safe play, healthy cooking and gardening.
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Oxgangs Neighbourhood Centre Association, Edinburgh
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£8,932
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The group will expand their outdoor learning courses for local children and young people.
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Wild Things!, Elgin, Moray
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£9,500
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The group will support parents with young children with trips, and the chance for outdoor play which many lack.
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Dennistoun Early Years Centre, Glasgow
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£10,000
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The group will run summer activities for nursery and primary children from Innerleithan and Walkerburn.
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St Ronan's Youth & Community Centre, Innerleithan, Scottish Borders
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£3,025
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The group will buy age appropriate play equipment and offer activities that could not otherwise be afforded.
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Allanton Toddlers Group, Shotts, North Lanarkshire
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£5,852
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Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 0141 242 1415
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