Highland Council pledges lifeline cash to fund work of much-loved charity SNAP
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A MUCH-LOVED local charity working with children, young people and adults with additional support needs has been saved after Highland Council pledged at least £60,000 in funding to support its vital work.
SNAP (the Special Needs Action Project) is based at Drummond School and developed from an early years service to offer support to both children and adults – and their families– with about 80 service users.
On the go for more than 20 years, in February it was revealed that SNAP, along with other similar organisations, was set to lose vital council funding as the local authority tried to balance the books ahead of setting this year’s budget in the face of severe financial pressures.
The news came as a blow, as SNAP struggles to break even each year despite increasing fees to service users by 50 per cent last year.
The he loss of £65,000 in council funding, it said, “jeopardises the charity’s long-term viability”.
However the Independent-SNP council administration said that it would keep looking at ways it could help SNAP while admitting it was forced to prioritise its own core services, which themselves were at risk.
Chairman of the council’s economy and infrastructure meeting, Coucnillor Ken Gowans, has now confirmed the council has found a way to release a grant to SNAP of at least £60,000 – effectively saving it from folding.
Cllr Gowans said: “The council is delighted to have worked out a way to provide SNAP with a grant for this year.
“I said I would keep this under review when the budget was passed and I have, leading to the award.
“No one underestimates the value of SNAP, the huge support they provide for young people and adults in the local community as well as help for their families.
“Therefore I was delighted to confirm at the economy and infrastructure committee an award of at least £60,000 to SNAP would be made this year, as promised.”
The chairman of SNAP Inverness Don Robertson said the cash injection means the charity will continue to be able to make a difference to the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in the area.
“We are extremely appreciative of the Highland Council decision to maintain funding for the current year,” he said.
“This will enable SNAP to continue to operate our vital support services. Future years will remain financially challenging if the council maintains their policy of not providing funding beyond this year.
“It is important to remember just what SNAP does - we provide essential support for children, young people and adults with additional support needs that they and their families would be hard pushed to find elsewhere.
“We really only have one goal and that is to improve the lives of young people with additional needs.
“And we do that by providing social experiences, building self-esteem, and encouraging independence.
“So when we talk about achieving security for SNAP it is really security for those who come to SNAP and their families that we have in mind but once again we are very grateful to the council for coming through on this occasion.”
