£1.5m boost gives Scots the feel good factor
Scots of all ages who may be feeling lonely, isolated or disconnected from their communities are set to benefit from a £1.5 million National Lottery cash boost announced today (WEDNESDAY 5 JUNE).
Across the country 203 community groups are sharing in £1,494,641 from National Lottery Awards for All to help people like 19-year-old Lauren Sullivan from Fife and 50 year old Reema Kishore, 50 from Glasgow build new friendships, improve their mental health and to rediscover their talents and passions in life. For details of awards made across Scotland click here.
In Fife, National Lottery funding is upping the feel-good factor for people like Lauren Sullivan, 19, who has benefitted from the support of Dunfermline based charity, Fairway Fife. The group receives an award of £10,000 to run their much in demand programme of weekly music, drama and craftwork workshops for young people with disabilities.
Until a few months ago, Lauren, had few opportunities to socialise and found it difficult to make new friends. Lauren, who has autism and a learning disability, lives with her mum who cares for her. She said, “It’s like a whole new world has opened up to me. I feel like now I’ve got friends of my own, so I don’t feel lonely or sad any more. I’m used to being with my mum all the time but when I’m out and about with Fairway Fife we both get a break.”
Mary Grant, Charity Co-ordinator, said, “This funding has allowed us to take a flexible approach to our service to suit each person’s individual needs which has really helped bring the group together, creating a firm network of friends.
“For some of the young people we work with, it’s the first time they have had a social life and it’s amazing to see them blossom, becoming more independent and confident as a result of their newfound friendships.”
Thanks to an award of £10,000, The Feel Good Women’s Group, based in Govanhill, Glasgow, will run a programme of wellbeing activities designed to reduce isolation and improve the mental and physical health of those taking part.
Welcoming the award, Rizwana Saeed, Project Co-ordinator, said, “Many of the women who come along to our group have caring responsibilities and some have even experienced domestic abuse. For some, this is their only opportunity to leave their homes, make new friends and do something for themselves. Thanks to National Lottery players we can continue making a real difference to the lives of the women we are trying to help.”
Reema Kishore, 50, from Glasgow credits the group with helping her through some tough times. She said, “Coming here has really helped me with my own mental health issues as I have formed close friendships with other group members and staff. I feel I am able to tell my friends from the group when I am feeling low which has really helped me feel less alone.”
In Edinburgh, The Health Agency receives an award of £9,440 to bring people with mental health issues and learning difficulties together to help maintain and improve the local community garden, set in Wester Hailes.
Rhona Donaldson, Project Co-ordinator, said, “We set the group up to give people the opportunity to create new friendships and help each other through difficult and lonely times and this funding allows us to provide them with continued support.
“Week in, week out our members work to maintain the garden area to help transform it into a safe and relaxing place where local people can come together and socialise.”
National Lottery Awards for All Scotland provides small National Lottery grants of between £500 and £10,000 to arts, sports and community groups.
A National Lottery Awards for All spokesperson said, “This is National Lottery money in action, reaching into communities across Scotland, making a real difference to the people who live there. The 203 groups receiving funding today showcase the great work that community groups up and down the country are doing by creating safe environments where people can come together to take part in a range of activities and make new friends.”
National Lottery Awards for All Scotland is now more straightforward to apply to and faster to get funding from. Applications are received on a rolling basis and can be received at any time. To find out what National Lottery Awards for All Scotland could do for your community visit our website https://www.tnlcommunityfund.o... or phone 0300 123 7110.
