NHS Grampian Charity has announced over £185,000 of grants to charities and community groups across Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray.
25 organisations have received funding through the charity’s Community Grants Programme, to deliver projects and services which help improve health and wellbeing.
Lisa Duthie, NHS Grampian Charity Lead, says: “Following the opening of the grant programme earlier this year, we received a large number or funding applications from charities and community-led organisations across the region.
“The projects supported through this round of funding are very diverse, ranging from the provision of handyman services to help elderly people in Keith and Speyside, to the creation of an allotment drop-in project near Turriff for people experiencing mental health challenges, and much more.
“The Community Grants Programme aims to improve access to health provision, to enhance healthcare experiences, and to empower individuals to better manage their own health, and we are delighted to be able to support so many incredible local organisations to deliver these goals.”
The Community Grants Programme was first launched in 2020, and has now delivered more than £700,000 of funding to almost 100 local projects.
Inchgarth Community Centre in Aberdeen was one of the organisations to receive a grant from the charity. The centre received £10,000 to deliver a range of inclusive exercise and wellbeing classes for children and adults, including the provision of chair-based exercise classes, and free Zumba classes for children and teenagers aged from P1 to S3.
Scott Beattie, Assistant Manager of Inchgarth Community Centre, says: “
“The grant from NHS Grampian Charity is going to be vital in keeping people of all ages fit and healthy, in particular with the groups for the elderly this will be fantastic for their mental health and improve social isolation.
“The funding helps us to engage with more people who may not be currently attending the centre by running additional fun and inclusive activities for all.”
The other organisations who received grants are:
Aberdeen Action on Disability: £5,736 for the provision of Social & Craft group for adults with disabilities and/or long-term health conditions, and provision of Social & Warhammer group for people on the Autistic Spectrum and/or with additional support needs.
Aberdeen Day Project: £5,700 for enhanced staff and volunteer training for learning disabilities and mental health conditions
Aberdeen Foyer: £4,941 for the delivery of Community Wellbeing Programmes in Tillydrone and Seaton
Aberdeen Foyer: £4,800 for the delivery of Community Self-Management Programmes in Tillydrone and Seaton
Bethany Christian Trust: £4,992 for the provision of ‘Toastie Club’ drop-in sessions and a programme of activities
Camphill School: £10,000 towards the cost of an assisted bathing unit
Early Intervention: £8,675 for the delivery of a series of activities including 1:1 Speech & Communication therapy, life skills and basic food hygiene and prep, a 6-week ‘The Inside of Autism’ course for parents/caregivers, and more
Fersands and Fountain: £8,600 for the provision of regular counselling sessions for young people, and to support and train youth work team in mental health, first response and dealing with crisis situations
Grampian Cardiac Rehabilitation Association (GCRA): £6,954 to expand access to and awareness of specialist exercise classes for people with long-term health conditions
Harlaw Area Lifelong Learning: £8,360 for the delivery of a breakfast club, providing free and healthy breakfasts to primary school aged children in Garthdee and Kaimhill, as well as art projects, reading, exercise and more
Home-Start Garioch: £9,833 to recruit and train volunteers to provide 1:1 support to families across Turriff, Huntly and Foggie
Hope Counselling: £7,500 to support early intervention into mental health through subsidised counselling sessions
Mearns Minibus Link: £1,512 for the provision of a series of monthly outings for the benefit of local elderly people
Mind Store: £4,740 for the development and pilot of groupwork with a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CB) approach to improve mental health
Moray Handyperson Services: £9,500 to support the expansion of handyperson services for older people in the Keith and Speyside areas
New Deer Community Association: £8,372 to support the improvement of the greenspace in the centre of the village through the creation of a path and provision of benches
North East Sensory Services (NESS): £6,979 for a replacement cross trainer machine for the fully accessible service user gym
Old Rayne School: £7,669 for the provision of weekly outdoor sessions for children to learn about nature, flora and wildlife
REAP Scotland: £10,000 for the development of an Action for Wellbeing project
Robert Gordon University: £9.937 for the delivery of free Physiotherapy student led exercise classes for people living with Parkinson’s
Spikin Autism and More: £9,150 for the delivery of a series of six-week ‘Time 4 You’ sessions for parents/carers living with/affected by neurodiverse conditions
Sport Aberdeen: £9,703 for the delivery of ESCAPE-Pain, an evidence based physical activity and education programme for people living with musculoskeletal conditions and chronic pain
Waulkmill Farm: £8,200 for the provision of a drop-in project for people experiencing mental health challenges, where they can plan, create and work on an allotment and sensory area
Woodend Arts: £3,960 for the provision of Third Stage Art outreach activity to tackle loneliness and improve mental health and wellbeing for people over the age of 60 who live in rural Aberdeenshire