Small community groups and organisations have been given a major funding boost.
In total, 33 groups across Dumfries and Galloway are sharing £445,026 from the second round of the Scottish Government’s Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund.
Smaller grants were available up to £3,000 and larger projects were able to bid for up to £50,000 to help tackle issues on the path to recovery from Covid-19, such as suicide prevention and loneliness.
Among those to benefit in Dumfriesshire are Kate’s Kitchen in Annan, which has received £21,778 for their Body and Mind Serenity project.
Manager Hazel Thompson said: “We are delighted to secure another year of funding to develop and expand our social activities.
“Both our garden project and arts and crafts group run weekly and all attendees tell us it is a great way to enjoy socialising and definitely improves their mental wellbeing.”
Creation Mill in Langholm was awarded £18,500 to continue and expand on a weekly creative health group.
Project manager, Abi Setters, said: “Our In Stitches group is focused on women who are in the 50-plus age bracket, although all are welcome.
“It has grown from being once a month, with an average of seven attending, to a weekly session with an average of 18 attendees.
“It’s a really interesting group of ladies that thoroughly enjoy meeting up and getting the peer support and social inclusion that this group offers.
“The sessions have become quite the hot ticket in Langholm with people even coming from nearby villages to get in on the action.”
In the south of Scotland, the fund was administered by Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway.
Chief executive Norma Austin Hart said: “We are delighted to announce the successful projects to be funded this year.
“The first-round last year demonstrates how valuable the work of grassroots organisations is when improving the wellbeing of their own communities.
“This time the fund was almost four times over-subscribed, so we know there is an appetite for this work. Congratulations to the successful projects and thank you to the Scottish Government for the funding to support them.”
Julie White, chief officer of Dumfries and Galloway Health and Social Care Partnership, added: “The Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund provides a fantastic opportunity for grassroots community groups and organisations to bid for financial help in promoting and developing good mental health and wellbeing across our region.
“I’m delighted that the second round of funding resulted in such a strong range of bids, and congratulate all of those organisations which are now set to receive grants ranging up to £50,000.
“The 91 community organisations across the south of Scotland which shared funding from the first round last year have been putting that financial support to extremely good use, in initiatives aimed at helping to tackle issues such as suicide prevention, social isolation and loneliness, and I’m eager to see the positive outcomes which emerge from the second round of funding from this programme.”
Other Dumfriesshire beneficiaries are: Mossburn Community Farm: The Older Person Project, £22,576, and Alzheimer’s project, £2,804; Upper Nithsdale Arts and Crafts Community Initiative at A’the Airts, Adult Wellbeing, £22,500; Old School Thornhill, well being volunteer co-ordinator, £25,748; Dumfries and Galloway College, Mental Health First Aid Roadshow, £15,100; Inspired Community Enterprise Trust Ltd, fostering resilience in young people with additional support needs using a settings-based approach, £25,582.54; Dumfries Get Together, get together online, £2991.92; Kirkmahoe Community Council, soup and pud group, £750; Sports Driving Unlimited, pony driving sessions for people with additional needs, £2,992; Threave Rovers FC, get your head on it, £3,000; Sanquhar Enterprise Company, Upper Nithsdale Walking Group, £2,941.
There was also funding for region-wide projects. Among the successful applicants were SHAP (Safe, Healthy and Active Partnership), Tai Chi, £2,192; South West Scotland RnR, HGV training, £24,000; OutPost Arts, Developing Creative Wellbeing D&G, £50,000; Bipolar Scotland, self-management training, £5, 060; LGBT Youth Scotland, support for LGBTI young people aged 16-25 in D&G, £20,000; Paragon Ensemble Ltd, Get In (the) Groove, £15,000; Better Lives Partnership, Bridge to Creative Programme, £22,852 (part-funded); DG ME and Fibromyalgia Network, Being Together, £2,700; User and Carer Involvement, sexual health and relationship workshops Next Level, £3,000; and D&G LGBT Plus, Out for a cuppa, £2,655.
