Three charities in the North of Scotland have bagged a share of £30,000 to help them carry out their vital work thanks to a vote by Scotmid Co-operative members.
Exclusively trialled in Scotmid’s North Member Region, Community Connect was launched in May this year and following dozens of applications, three good cause groups were shortlisted to benefit from funds generated via the sale of single use carrier bags.
The three groups – Moray School Bank based in Rothes, Dundee’s 18 and Under and Links Park Trust based in Montrose – then vied for votes cast by members at the North Region’s Ordinary General Meeting held in Brechin on October 3.
Following a nail-biting ballot, 18 & Under picked up a cheque for £15,000 and intends to use the much-needed funds to expand its reach onto the streets and estates to help young people at risk of exploitation.
Kieran Watson at 18 & Under said: “The £15,000 from Community Connect will make an enormous difference to us and the young people we aim to support. It means our volunteers can get out onto the streets and look out for and offer support to young people who are often unable to seek support. We estimate that this award will help us reach 1,000 more young people and empower them to turn their lives around.
“We would like to say a huge thank you to Scotmid and to everyone there who voted for 18 and Under. This is a significant amount of money for a small charity and will enable us to make a positive impact in the community and increase the safety of vulnerable young people. I would highly recommend other charities to explore Scotmid’s Community Connect scheme as a source of funding.”
The remaining short-listed groups Links Park Community Trust and Moray School Bank collected cheques for £10,000 and £5,000 respectively.
Following the decision of Scotmid members, Scotmid Co-operative Chief Executive John Brodie said: “The vote was extremely close on the night, reflecting the high esteem that our members had for the three shortlisted groups and the good work that they do. We very much look forward to following the progress of the groups and working together to improve the quality of life for people in our local communities.”
Applications are now open for the next cycle of Community Connect funding and local Good Cause Groups from both Scotmid’s North and West member Regions are invited to apply to be considered via the Society’s website before Wednesday October 11.
