- Area:
- Scotland
- Release date:
- 22 8 2012
Over £150k is to be spent giving Scotland’s children a better start in life thanks to the first grants made by the Communities and Families Fund - a joint venture from the Big Lottery Fund and the Scottish Government.
Today’s grants to 20 projects across the country is from the £6 million Communities and Families Fund, launched in May 2012. The multi-million fund aims to give groups working with children aged under eight - including mother and toddler groups, crèches, community nurseries and playgroups - a vital helping hand. Groups can apply for funding of from £250 to £10,000.
Children’s Minister Aileen Campbell said: “If we’re to achieve our ambition of Scotland being the best place in the world for children to grow up, it’s paramount we support families and communities and help them thrive and flourish. That’s why I’m delighted to see the first grants from the new Communities and Families Fund going to these excellent and deserving projects to allow them to continue the great work they’re doing to improve the lives of local children and families across Scotland’s communities.”
Maureen McGinn, Chair of the Big Lottery Fund Scotland Committee said: “I am delighted that we are announcing the first Communities and Families grants which will help give Scotland’s next generation the best possible start in life. We welcome applications from projects which benefit children, or families of children aged eight years and under. We know that, across the country, organisations such as playgroups and crèches are presently delivering sterling work in communities with children at the very heart of their activities. With this £6m package of funding, there is now an opportunity do even more and to make an extra difference to more young Scots, so I would encourage people to call us or visit the website to find out more.”
Picking up an award of £6,620 is Dundee’s St Ninian’s Family Support Group. The group was set up last year offering support to six parents and now, just 18 months later, they work with nearly 50 families, all with children under five years of age. The new funding allows them to offer a series of healthy eating workshops for parents, eight sessions for the children with a community artist as well as new story sacks for everyone to use and enjoy.
In Glasgow The Village Storytelling Centre will use a grant of £4,200 to deliver its popular Wee Tales project, providing free storytelling sessions for 60 parents and 80 pre-school children. The successful sessions that already run in Govan, Kennishead and Carnwadric are delivered by professional storyteller and feedback shows both parents and children are learning new and effective ways of enjoying the experience.
Thanks to an award of £9,940, Edinburgh City Youth Cafe can provide support to local young parents by running weekly young sessions in the cafe. Each week, over the course of three hours, a wide range of parenting skills will be taught by specialised professionals to this vulnerable group with support provided by staff and sessional crèche workers.
The Communities and Families Fund is set to run over the next three years with £4.5 million from The Scottish Government and £1.5 million from the largest of the National Lottery Good Cause distributors the Big Lottery Fund. 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.
The Scottish Government’s Early Years Taskforce published its Shared Vision and Priorities in March 2012. This paper highlights what needs to be done to ensure the best possible outcomes for our children and the ways families and communities can help improve these outcomes and how services can best be targeted to support them. The Communities and Families Fund will help to take this work forward.
Other grants announced today are:-
Afasic Scotland - Based in Dundee – serving Edinburgh, East Dunbartonshire, Inverclyde and Glasgow
£7975
The project will enable three parent support groups it has established in Edinburgh, East Dunbartonshire, Inverclyde and Glasgow to deliver 35 activity days for children aged 5 and under that are affected by speed and language impairments and their parents. The grant will contribute towards 35 activity days.
Childcare In The Community - Hamilton, South Lanarkshire - £9996
The group will buy equipment to support a programme of healthy living activities to be held at their centre. Healthy eating classes will provide basic cooking lessons for parents and children in South Lanarkshire and a self service healthy snacks stall set up. The grant will cover the costs of healthy foods, a self service snack bar, play equipment, IT equipment, arts and crafts materials and gardening equipment.
Community Growing Solutions CIC – Lochgelly - Fife £9800
The group will start a new project called Cook4Kids which aims to teach parents the basics regarding creating healthy meals using fresh produce. Classes will work with eight parents per session introducing; shopping on a budget, cooking from scratch and growing your own food. The grant will fund tutor costs, cooking equipment and growing equipment.
Divercity (Scotland) Ltd- Glasgow - £10,000
The group will run breakfast clubs and free fruit distribution for children ages 5 to 8 at registered traveller sites in the east end of Glasgow. They will also run a scheme to encourage families to eat healthily, take exercise and deliver a community fun day. The grant will fund two volunteer training courses, volunteer expenses, sessional staff costs and a community fun day.
Eczema Outreach (Scotland) - Leith, Edinburgh - £10,000
The project will carry out research with children affected by eczema and their families and professionals in the Leith area of Edinburgh in order to create an information booklet about eczema. The booklet will be distributed to families, carers and health professionals in Leith. The grant will fund sessional worker costs, workshops, production of the booklet and launch and promotion costs.
Gargunnock After School Club – Stirling - £8150
The group provides after school childcare for primary school aged children and will use the grant to buy new play equipment, games, arts and crafts materials, running new workshops and providing free fruit to the children. The grant will pay for creative workshops, staff training, uniforms, craft materials, play equipment and hall hire.
Healthynhappy - Cambuslang and Rutherglen, South Lanarkshire - £9172
The group ran a four week pilot 'Healthy Start Cafe’ and now plan to extend this successful work. The cafe also looks to unite parents, increasing their confidence and creating a supportive parenting network within a friendly environment. The grant will fund healthy snack costs, volunteer expenses and costs for a sessional project co-ordinator and sessional outreach worker.
North Edinburgh Arts Centre - Muirhouse, Edinburgh- £9891
The group will use the grant to deliver twice weekly creative play and arts workshops for children under five and their parents and carers It will also provide two play development sessions for families and two professional development sessions for early years practitioners and artists. The grant will fund the costs of sessional workers, arts materials, venue costs and healthy snacks.
North Edinburgh Childcare – Pilton, Edinburgh - £8404
The group will start a forest school activities programme in nearby woodland. Existing staff will train to become school leaders and all weather equipment will be bought to support a yearlong structured programme of forest school activities benefitting 3 - 8 year olds. The grant will fund training costs for four forest school workers, outdoor play equipment and waterproof clothing.
St Boswells Nursery Playgroup and Toddler Group - St Boswells, Scottish Borders - £760
The group will use the grant to deliver a Mini Kickers programme, allowing the children aged three to five years old to take part in a fun exercise activity which will develop their co-ordination skills. The grant will pay for sessional worker fees and hall rental.
St Mary's Parent-Teacher Association -Lochee, Dundee - £9947
The group will buy play equipment for their nursery schools play ground. The grant will pay for a Lilliput Playtown, Dinosaw, chalk board, thermoplastic ground markings and a green play safe safety surfacing.
St Nicholas Pre School Playgroup - Lanark, South Larnarkshire -£3500
The group will be able to pay for the costs of hiring St Nicholas Church hall to enable it to continue to provide its toddler and playgroup facilities for up to 120 local families during school terms. The grant will part fund the costs of renting the church hall.
St Ninians Playgroup – Stirling -£2070
The group will use the grant to deliver weekly Enjoy-a-Ball and fortnightly Tiny Tunes and Wiggle Dance classes for pre-school age children that attend the playgroup. The grant will part fund the weekly and fortnightly classes.
The Bridge Dumfries and Galloway - Dumfries, Dumfries and Galloway -£9284
The project will introduce community play sessions in a range of play spaces around the local authority, particularly within deprived areas. Sessions will be lead by sessional play rangers and parents will be supported in learning skills so they can lead play thereafter. The grant will cover the costs of sessional workers, equipment, travel expenses and venue hire.
The Zone Initiative Limited - Dalmellington, East Ayrshire - £10,000
The group will deliver a play project for disadvantaged children aged five to eight. It will fund three dedicated play buddies to supervise play activities as well as indoor and outdoor play equipment. The grant will fund outdoor play equipment, costs for three sessional play workers and indoor play equipment.
Further Information
Emma Whitfield, Communications Manager Big Lottery Fund Scotland 0141 242 1415 / 07880 737157 / emma.whitfield@biglotteryfund.org.uk
For more information about the Communities and Families Fund please go to www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/Scotland or call 0300 1237110
Notes to Editors
- The Big Lottery Fund (BIG), the largest distributor of National Lottery good cause funding, is responsible for giving out 46% 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 June 2004. BIG 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 £28 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 nextfour 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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