- Area:
- Scotland
- Programme:
- Communities and Families Fund
- Release date:
- 21 3 2013
Over £200,000 will be invested in helping Scotland’s young children have a better start in life. Today (21 MAR), 29 projects across the country receive grants from the Communities and Families Fund - a joint venture from the Big Lottery Fund and the Scottish Government.
Maureen McGinn, Chair of the Big Lottery Fund Scotland Committee, said: “The Communities and Families Fund aims to give groups working with children of eight years and under a vital helping hand. Gardening, art classes, cooking, musical and physical activities all help educate and inspire our younger generation, giving them knowledge and confidence which they can take into the future. Today’s projects are varied and offer a wide range of support, activities and skills to benefit families and young children. I am delighted that today’s grants will support these groups in their valuable work, and I would encourage interested parties to call us or visit our website to find out more.”
Mothers who suffer from post natal depression will continue to get help thanks to today’s grant of £10,000 for PND Borders into Another Year. Covering Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk the project will continue to support mums with a 12-week programme of counselling, group work, art therapy and an accompanying crèche facility. Mums with post natal depression can experience a range of symptoms and the bonding process between mother and child can be severely affected. Today’s grant means PND Borders will be able to carry on helping families affected by this illness.
A grant of £10,000 for the Seaboard Playgroup will bring more opportunities for the children who go there. The money will fund new outdoor play equipment that will encourage two to three year olds to interact with other children, get creative, and develop their confidence, imagination, reasoning and observational skills. Seaboard Playgroup is based in Hilton of Cadboll Primary School, near Tain, and provides a range of activities for pre-school children.
The successful Toddler Adventures programme, which currently runs in Elgin, will be rolled out to other areas in Moray thanks to today’s grant of £5,550 Earthtime CIC was set up to help get the local community more involved in outdoor activities. The Rural Moray Toddler Adventures project will bring children, their parents and volunteers together to explore the outdoors. Class entry fees will be kept to a minimum and the project will work with several local charities to ensure that families from all backgrounds are aware of this opportunity.
Aberdeen’s recently refurbished Cummings Park Community Flat provides a safe space for the local community to meet. Now the Cummings Park Family Garden project intends to revitalise their over-grown garden with the help of children, parents and grandparents. Thanks to a grant of £4,402, the group will run a weekly, two hour gardening session where families can come together and learn about gardening, the seasons and healthy eating. The project will unite parents from the surrounding area, creating new community connections and the renovated area will provide a green space where children can safely play and people can socialise.
The Communities and Families Fund will run over the next three years with £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. To find out more about the scheme and how to apply phone 0300 123 7110 or visit www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/prog_communities_and_families_fund.
A list of all the projects which have been awarded funding today.
For more details contact Frances Chisholm, Press Team Scotland, 0141 242 1458
BIG advice line: 0300 123 7110 Text phone: 0845 6021 659
For more information about Big Lottery Fund programmes
www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/scotland
Follow us on Twitter @BIGScotland or like us on Facebook Big Lottery Fund Scotland
Notes to Editors
• The Big Lottery Fund (BIG), the largest distributor of National Lottery good cause funding, is responsible for giving out 40% of the money raised for good causes by the National Lottery.
• BIG 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 BIG has awarded close to £6bn.
• The Fund was formally established by Parliament on 1 December 2006.
• Since the National Lottery began in 1994, 28p from every pound spent by the public has gone to good causes. As a result, over £29 billion has now been raised and more than 383,000 grants awarded across arts, sport, heritage, charities, health, education and the environment.
• The Early Years Taskforce was set up in November 2011 to provide strategic leadership for the Early Years Change Programme and co-ordinate policy across Government and the wider public sector to ensure that Early Years spending is prioritised by the whole public sector.
• Scottish Government funding will be drawn from the wider £270 million Early Years Change Fund, which includes a Scottish Government contribution of £50 million over the next four years.
• The Scotland Committee, led by Chair Maureen McGinn, has been making Big Lottery Fund decisions on Scottish projects since March 2007. As well as taking devolved decisions on Lottery spending, the Committee has and will continue to play a strategic role in the future direction of BIG in Scotland.
• The Big Lottery Fund is funding Scotland’s communities through the Investing in Communities portfolio as well as the small grants schemes Awards for All, 2014 Communities and the Communities and Families Fund.
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