Prospect Housing based in Wester Hailes have won an award of £115,830 from the Big Lottery Fund in an announcement made today.
Prospect Community Housing will now be able to run their Switched On Wester Hailes project offering welfare and budgeting advice, as well as a drop in centre for people facing hardship.
Carol Cawood, Director of Prospect Community Housing, said:-“The Big Lottery Fund’s generous support will mean that people affected by hardship living in Wester Hailes are better equipped to deal with the current issues they face and better prepared to withstand future changes. We identified the reduction of fuel poverty, the provision of welfare benefits advice and the promotion of digital inclusion as areas where support could still make a significant difference to people’s income levels.
“This grant will enable us to offer local residents practical energy efficiency advice within their homes, welfare benefits advice in familiar community venues, and to deliver increased access to IT resources and training through local computer suites. Switched On In Wester Hailes will also create a stronger, more connected network of organisations and volunteers across the area so that local residents receive effective and ongoing support.”
This year the Big Lottery Fund, Scotland has pledged over £19 million to support communities in Scotland deal with increasing hardship. And today, just in time for Christmas, 64 projects across the country are sharing £9,200,690 through the Support and Connect programme. The funding means a range of activities providing essential lifelines including local food banks, money advice services, community clothing and starter pack projects can now take place.
Maureen McGinn, Big Lottery Fund Scotland Committee Chair, said: “When we opened Support & Connect to applications, our research showed a need for projects specifically to support families and communities across Scotland which are struggling to cope with immediate financial, emotional and physical pressures.
“Enabling people to find a way through these challenges is at the heart of our work at the Big Lottery Fund. Today’s funding, in addition to that previously announced in July, will support organisations across Scotland which are providing essential support. It is a measure of the absolute need for these services that we have almost doubled our original budget for this from £10 million up to £19 million since March this year.”
Projects funded through Support and Connect will for run two years and are aimed specifically at improving local support for people experiencing hardship. The fund will also help organisations, who work with people experiencing hardship, become much better connected so that individuals dealing with complex problems get the right blend of support they need.
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