Cash Boost For 13 Scottish Projects

Families at the heart of a £7.5 million National Lottery investment.

Families across Scotland are to benefit from the latest National Lottery grants announced today. They are amongst 13 projects that will share in a total of £7,406,528 from Big Lottery Fund Scotland's Investing in Communities programme. 

Announcing today's funding, Big Lottery Fund, Scotland Chair, Maureen McGinn, said: 

"The aim of our Investing in Communities programme is to support people and communities in greatest need and, now, 13 more projects across the country will be able to do that. Five of these groups focus on giving support to children and families facing challenging times or who are at a turning point in their lives. We are keen to support many more projects like these and would encourage groups to come and talk to us if they have an idea."

A grant of £476,917 for Action for Children will help launch a new service for young fathers in Perth and Kinross, and Clackmannanshire. The service will work with young men aged 14-25 who are fathers, or expectant fathers. It will offer one-to-one support and group activities, as well as outreach programmes for young men who feel isolated. 

Fiona Steel, Operational Director of Children's Services at Action for Children Scotland, said: 

"This new service is a first of its kind in Scotland, helping new fathers learn what it means to be a dad. We know that many men find it difficult to ask for help with parenting, and we want to show them that it's ok to need some support with this wonderful, life-changing and very demanding role. Our service will give young fathers the opportunity to build knowledge, learn parenting skills, and gain confidence, helping them to have a positive impact on their child's life and really enjoy being a dad."

Disadvantaged families in Glasgow, who have a disabled child, will be given help at crucial times such as birth, diagnosis or family crisis. A grant of £346,228 for Caudwell Children will provide short-term home help, access to specialist equipment and emotional support. 

Trudi Beswick, Chief Executive Officer, Caudwell Children Family Support, said: 

"We provide vital support and assistance at times of crisis or when a child is diagnosed with a chronic condition or disability. We are thrilled to now have the ability to extend this service to help families in the Glasgow area, thanks to the support of Big Lottery Fund Scotland. 

"Our work with thousands of disadvantaged families across the UK has proven that early intervention is critical in the effective support of disabled children and carers. By providing practical and emotional support we have been successful in preventing further family breakdown and helping to build the confidence and skills required to enable families to reach their full potential."

CHILDREN 1st will use their grant of £966,177 to run National Kinship Care Support Services in Ayrshire, East Lothian and Moray and provide additional national telephone helpline support. 

Mary Glasgow, Director of Children and Family Services, CHILDREN 1ST, said: 

"We are delighted to be awarded this substantial grant by Big Lottery Fund Scotland to allow us to improve hundreds of children’s lives by supporting their kinship carers. We will use this funding to set up hubs in Moray, East Lothian and Ayrshire and to ensure kinship carers have access to the wide range of support they need and want to help the children in their care thrive. 

"Our services will include advocacy, mediation, and group work, support to help them feel more confident in their parenting, Family Group Conferencing and, where it is needed, intensive therapeutic support."

The Scottish Spina Bifida Association receives as award of £392,509 to support families in Lothian, Borders and Fife who have a child aged 0-9 years with Spina Bifida or Hydrocephalus. And Geeza Break has been funded £873,576 to help more vulnerable families in the North East and East end areas of Glasgow with early intervention support and respite care.

Other projects receiving funding from Investing in Communities today are:

Faith in Community (Scotland) - Glasgow, East Ayrshire, Inverclyde and Dundee.                                    
£901,471 is being handed over to extend their service helping those on release from a short-term prison sentence in North Glasgow, Kilmarnock and Inverclyde, to include Dundee 

Southside Housing Association Limited, Glasgow.
£514,448 will help to expand and increase their current welfare rights advice service and offer financial advice for the first time. 

Venture Trust, Scotland wide.
£840,320 will help to break the reoffending cycle amongst women who are offending, or at high risk of offending.

Scottish Huntington's Association, Scotland wide.
£357,936 will help reduce household debt, improve access to financial products and benefits for people who have, or are at risk of having, Huntington's Disease.

Interloch Transport, Argyll & Bute.
£552,735 will develop Interloch Transport service for frail older people and disabled people in the Cowal and Bute area. 

Getting Better Together Ltd, North Lanarkshire.
£512,152 will help socially isolated older people maintain independence and re-engage with community through a befriending service. 

Carers Link East Dunbartonshire, East Dunbartonshire.
£411,625 will help older carers in East Dunbartonshire cope better through specialist support and advocacy.

Down's Syndrome Scotland - Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Dundee, Glasgow, Inverness, East Fife, West Fife and Aberdeenshire. £260,434 will improve the wellbeing of young people and adults with Down’s syndrome with friendship groups and volunteer mentors.

Brenda Hepburn is Project Manager of Friends Connect at Down's Syndrome Scotland.