Polar Star - March - May 2024
Tuesday 19 March 2024
 7.6°C   S Fresh Breeze
Ocean Kinetics - The Engineering Experts

Community / Funding boost of half a million for charitable projects

SCT headquarters on North Road, Lerwick. Photo: Shetland News

OVER £500,000 in extra grant money is being paid out by Shetland Charitable Trust to local charities, groups and organisations aiming to tackle social isolation and inequality.

The new funding for local charitable organisations was awarded by trustees on Thursday following an application process which had to be halted temporarily due to Covid-19.

A total of £530,173 will go to the 16 successful projects which aim to fill gaps in existing services and reduce social isolation and inequality in Shetland.

The largest grants were payments of £70,000 to Shetland Women’s Aid and COPE.

There was a £100,000 cap on each grant application.

Trust chairman Dr Andrew Cooper said: “Trustees and staff were impressed by the vision and hard work that local charities put into their wide-ranging proposals, which are about supporting those of us who need a helping hand in life.

“Putting their plans into action will be all the more challenging with social distancing and stringent hygiene requirements to contend with so we wish all these organisations well in their endeavours.”

The successful applicants and what the money will go to are as follows:

  • Ability Shetland – £34,954: To provide direct support to children, families and adults with disabilities and additional support needs
  • Advocacy Shetland – £35,000: To provide a free independent advocacy services in Shetland.
  • GAADA – £49,400: To contribute towards a visual culture within Shetland which is dynamic and representative of the diverse demographics of communities and individuals that exist across the isles.
  • Mind Your Head – £61,420: To relieve those in need by reason of mental ill-health.
  • Shetland Link Up – £7,623: Continuing to offer support and relief to, and facilitating friendship for, those affected by mental ill health.
  • Shetland Rape Crisis – £28,467: To relieve the distress and promote the welfare of anyone affected by any form of sexual violence or exploitation.
  • Shetland Women’s Aid – £70,000: To advance; and continue to work towards ending domestic abuse and other Gender Based Violence in our community.
  • Shetland Islands Citizens Advice Bureau – £40,897: Providing an independent advice and information service, which is free, confidential, independent and impartial.
  • The Swan Trust – £14,000: To support the costs associated with recertifying Swan to MCA code 0 for 2021 season, to enable the Swan Trust to resume sail training opportunities.
  • British Red Cross – £27,064: To provide a Shetland Community Support Service.
  • COPE – £70,000: Providing focused placements, training, support and employment opportunities to adults with learning or physical disabilities.
  • Royal Voluntary Service – £10,000: RVS exists to enable older people to get more out of life by delivering practical support and a range of community-based services tailored to individual need.
  • Shetland Befriending Scheme 16+ Service – £7,000: Provision of a Befriending Service for those aged 16 and over.
  • Shetland Care Attendant Scheme & Voluntary Action Shetland – £39,708: The relieve of stress on the person or family caring for physically or mentally disabled or elderly persons
  • Voluntary Action Shetland – Core – £20,000: To provide a central point for the voluntary sector, providing administrative support, sign-posting, advice and information to the voluntary sector in Shetland.
  • Voluntary Action Shetland – Market House – £15,000: To maintain, manage and operate Market House as a central point for the voluntary sector, providing office space and services.

The extra funding made available for the projects is part of the charitable trust’s £8.2 million main grants scheme for 2020/21, which helps pay for the operation of the rural care model, Shetland Recreational Trust, Shetland Amenity Trust, Shetland Arts and a number of locally based charities.

The budget was increased from £7.3 million last year due to the trust’s success in steering its reserves back to a self-sustaining level of over £300 million for the first time since 2000.

Trustees were told on Thursday that the vale of the reserves at the end of March stood at over £315 million.

Become a supporter of Shetland News

Shetland News is asking its many readers to consider start paying for their dose of the latest local news delivered straight to their PC, tablet or mobile phone.

Journalism comes at a price and because that price is not being paid in today’s rapidly changing media world, most publishers - national and local - struggle financially despite very healthy audience figures.

Most online publishers have started charging for access to their websites, others have chosen a different route. Shetland News currently has  over 600 supporters  who are all making small voluntary financial contributions. All funds go towards covering our cost and improving the service further.

Your contribution will ensure Shetland News can: -

  • Bring you the headlines as they happen;
  • Stay editorially independent;
  • Give a voice to the community;
  • Grow site traffic further;
  • Research and publish more in-depth news, including more Shetland Lives features.

If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a supporter of Shetland News by either making a single payment or monthly subscription.

Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.

 
Categories

Newsletters

Subscribe to a selection of different newsletters from Shetland News, varying from breaking news delivered on the minute, to a weekly round-up of the opinion posts. All delivered straight to your inbox.

Daily Briefing Newsletter Weekly Highlights Newsletter Opinion Newsletter Life in Shetland Newsletter

JavaScript Required

We're sorry, but Shetland News isn't fully functional without JavaScript enabled.
Head over to the help page for instructions on how to enable JavaScript on your browser.

Your Privacy

We use cookies on our site to improve your experience.
By using our service, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.

Browser is out-of-date

Shetland News isn't fully functional with this version of .
Head over to the help page for instructions on updating your browser for more security, improved speed and the best overall experience on this site.

Interested in Notifications?

Get notifications from Shetland News for important and breaking news.
You can unsubscribe at any time.

Become a supporter of Shetland News

We're committed to ensuring everyone has equitable access to impartial, open and quality local journalism that benefits all residents.

By supporting Shetland News, you play a vital role in ensuring we remain a pivotal resource in supporting the community.

Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.