Ross-shire groups amongst six to share in National Lottery cash aimed at countering coronavirus impact
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Community groups across the Highlands are sharing in £3.3 million of National Lottery funding to help them rise to the challenges of Covid–19 and beyond.
Thanks to National Lottery players, 141 projects across the country, including six in the Highlands, are set to benefit.
Maggie's Highland, the Highland Homeless Trust, Barbaraville Improvement Group Ltd, Creativity In Care CIC, Nature 4 Health and The Meeting Place in Culloden were all successful at securing cash.
Maggie’s Highland Centre will receive £10,000 to sustain specialist cancer support during the ongoing Covid–19 pandemic.
Welcoming the funding, Seonaid Green, from Maggie’s Highland Centre, said: “We are thrilled to have received this award - a massive thank you from all of us at Maggie’s Highlands!
"It will enable us to provide qualified cancer support for people with cancer across Highlands during this challenging time.
"The current pandemic has been and continues to be an extremely difficult time for our visitors, causing anxiety about disrupted treatments, uncertainty about the future and feelings of loneliness and isolation due to not being able to see loved ones. Maggie’s is needed now more than ever, and thanks to this grant, we will be able to continue to provide expert advice, information and reassurance. Thank you to all The National players for making it happen."
An award of £5161 means Highland Homeless Trust means that the trust’s outreach team will to be able to continue their vital services by working remotely.
Chrissy Kemp, outreach service manager, Highland Homeless Trust, said: “We were delighted to receive this award from The National Lottery Community Fund.
"Receiving the funding enabled us to purchase laptops for our outreach team which has had two significant benefits to our organisation.
"Firstly, support workers have been able to spend more time providing direct support as there is less travel to/from the office and notes can be written up closer to the episode of support.
"Secondly, laptops allow our team to spend less time in the office which reduces contact with each other and allows us to comply with guidance on office working during Covid–19. Staff remain in contact with each other and their manager through Microsoft Teams. The communication within the team has been excellent and has enabled us to continue providing a high level of support to our valued service users.”
Barbaraville Improvement Group Ltd will receive £7466 to refurbish and maintain their local play park, in Barbaraville.
Easter Ross-based Creativity In Care CIC were awarded £8770 to run a six-month wellbeing programme for people across the Highlands who are anxious about Covid-19 and leaving their homes .
Nature 4 Health will use its £9,000 award to deliver primary school mental health and wellbeing programmes, and nature walks for wellbeing in the wider Inverness and Moray areas.
The Meeting place, Culloden were granted £1176 to increase their digital inclusion project from three to five days as they re-establish delivery following Covid-19 restrictions in Culloden.
Related: Easter Ross creative project to help folk weather coronavirus storm
