Edinburgh charities Richmond’s Hope and SANDS Lothians have been shortlisted to become two of the latest recipients of funding from Scotmid Co-operative’s popular Community Connect initiative – potentially being awarded up to £15,000 to fund key projects.
Community Connect was launched in 2017 and enables Scotmid members to award good cause groups in their local area with funding of up to £15,000 generated via the sale of single use carrier bags. Since its introduction, 27 good cause groups from across Scotland have benefited from £230,000 funding.
In Scotmid’s East Member Region – encompassing Edinburgh, Fife and the Lothians – Richmond’s Hope and SANDS Lothians are two of three good cause groups, who have been short-listed by a Scotmid member selection panel to receive a financial award. Scotmid members will decide on how the pot of £25,000 is awarded. The group with the most votes will receive £15,000 and the two runners-up will each receive £5,000. Scotmid members can cast their votes in store from the 8th – 22nd September or attend the OGM which will be held at the Murrayfield Stadium on Monday 30th September.
John Brodie, Chief Executive of Scotmid, said: “We are passionate about supporting local causes which are close to the hearts and minds of our members, customers and staff and are thrilled to have such worthy causes nominated to receive our latest round of Community Connect funding. We know how much those who work for these charities go above and beyond every single day for the benefit of their service users and local communities and this should be celebrated.”
Richmond’s Hope supports bereaved children and young people aged four to 18 years old in Edinburgh and the Lothians. Using therapeutic play and specialist grief activities, the children are helped to express themselves and learn coping strategies with their emotional trauma. It is hoped that the Community Connect funding will be used to buy materials for the children’s support sessions (workbooks, memory boxes, arts & craft materials) and help towards staff salaries allowing more bereaved children to be helped.
SANDS Lothian supports local bereaved families in Edinburgh and the Lothians who have lost their baby. It is hoped that the Community Connect funding will be used to help fund a specialist baby bereavement counsellor for a whole year.
Nicola Welsh, Chief Executive of SANDS Lothians, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been shortlisted for the Community Connect funding. This is such an inspirational scheme and a wonderful way for the local community to support causes they care about within their community. As a local charity, opportunities like this are incredible and we are so grateful to Scotmid for this chance to raise much needed funds for our work supporting bereaved families, at the worst of times.”
Scotmid members are encouraged to support both charities’ by swiping their Community Connect card after every in-store purchase and then cast their votes for their preferred good cause group either in-store or at Scotmid’s East Region Ordinary General Meeting.
Ends
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
