Fort Kinnaird has donated £5,000 to help some of the charities and organisations most impacted by the pandemic in the Niddrie and Craigmillar areas.
The local charities have each received £1,000 from a dedicated fund set up by Fort Kinnaird owners British Land, and were selected due to the key role they play in supporting the local community.
The charities include Venchie Children & Young People’s Project, Thistle Foundation, Craigmillar Now, Richmond’s Hope and Caring in Craigmillar.
The Venchie provides play, recreation, and issue-based youth work to school children from across Niddrie, with access to activities including drama club, residentials, as well as much-needed breakfast and after school clubs.
Charity Thistle Foundation supports those with long-term health conditions and disabilities, enabling them to live independently in their own homes, while Craigmillar Now brings the local community together through art with a host of different exhibitions throughout the year.
Richmond’s Hope provides support for children and young people dealing with bereavement by offering a safe space for children to work through their grief, helping them to preserve memories of their loved one, explore their feelings, and provide them with coping strategies for handling their loss.
Caring in Craigmillar is a charity dedicated to improving the quality of life for vulnerable older people with complex care needs, preventing them from becoming isolated and encouraging community integration.
Liam Smith, centre director at Fort Kinnaird, said: “The past 12 months have been an incredibly challenging time for local charities who have seen funding disrupted by the pandemic. Our commitment to our community has never been more important, and I’m so pleased we can support some of those organisations that need it most.
“The chosen charities do such amazing work across our immediate local communities of Niddrie and Craigmillar and we hope our donation goes some way in helping them to continue to do so.”
This initiative is part of Fort Kinnaird’s wider programme of work in the community which included the launch of its Giving Box installation, designed to encourage visitors to make small donations while at the centre to help support local organisations.
