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SURF Special Cost of Living Crisis E-bulletin Series - Edition 5
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SURF's Special E-bulletin: Cost of Living Crisis

Hello <<First Name>>. Welcome to the fifth edition in a series of special SURF e-bulletins showcasing examples written by organisations delivering services or providing support to communities across Scotland, to try and alleviate some of the impacts of the current cost of living crisis. If you would like to highlight work you are doing or funding or organisational support you are providing please email Emma on emma@surf.scot 

Social Enterprise Scot.

Social Enterprise Scotland is an independent, membership-led organisation. As the representative body for social enterprises in Scotland, we are growing a collaborative movement so that all social enterprises have a stronger collective voice.

We champion the transformative potential of social enterprise, enabling our movement to overcome barriers and grow its impact to empower people and protect our plant.

The cost of living crisis has different operational impacts on social enterprises, from utility costs to transport, food, the payment of the real living wage, buildings, facilities and insurance costs, recruitment and more.

We must also take into consideration the real impact on the mental health of social entrepreneurs as a direct result of the cost of living crisis.

In addition, those working in social enterprises are seeing the impact on the people they serve in our local communities. Social enterprises help improve the lives the most excluded groups in society and it's clear that the most excluded individuals are being hit disproportionately by this.

Read the full story HERE

Robertson Trust

We are now launching our first open call for proposals through a new set of funds focused on long-term change, what we’re calling Programme Awards. Our Programme Awards will be focused squarely on delivering big change that lasts on poverty and trauma and will allow us to work alongside some of the organisations best placed to achieve impact on poverty and trauma in Scotland, allowing us to learn from them and them from us as we go.

Our first open call for proposals is now live. Our aim is to fund ideas and projects that have the highest potential for delivering big change that lasts in relation to tackling financial insecurity in Scotland. This will include feasibility projects, and projects designed to test and demonstrate new ideas or interventions, through to change-focused research or policy, campaigning and influencing work. It’s open to charities with an annual income of more than £100,000 and to partnerships and will aim to complement not duplicate the funding available through our existing funds. This is a new and big commitment from the Trust, with an initial budget of around £2m for this call. 

Read the full story HERE

LEAP

LEAP was formed in 1992 in the Cambuslang area by people frustrated by a lack of things for older people to do.

Today, the organisation operates throughout South Lanarkshire and still provides cost-effective, quality learning and leisure opportunities. But it now also provides vital free befriending and handyperson services to help older people live in their own homes for longer, and a cost-effective home maintenance service.

LEAP now employs 25 people and manages almost 300 volunteers who deliver most of its front-line services in befriending, handypersons and its shops

Our befriending and handyperson services help people remain safely in their homes for longer. Most of these services are delivered by our team of volunteers who are given comprehensive training and are all cleared through PVG before they carry out their responsibilities.

Read the full story HERE

Bothwell Futures

Community Spirit is hard at work in the heart of Lanarkshire as a community group has joined forces with a local church to create a warm hub over the winter months as the cost-of-living crisis continues to bite.

Bothwell Futures and Bothwell Parish Church saw a real need for a warm and welcoming space for the community to come together over the winter months and jumped in to action to create The Winter Warmer+ Project which opens four days a week.

With all households in the county facing the cost of living and climate crisis, not to mention the number of people facing wellbeing issues following the pandemic, The Winter Warmers+ project is about people coming together, sharing a meal, a hot drink, or a chat in a warm and safe place.

Manned by a surge of volunteers and supported by a number of local businesses serving lunch and dinner, donations have included sofas and a TV for the cosy corner.  The hub also features two PlayStation 5s for young and old people alike to battle it out on Fifa23.

Read the full story HERE

Argyll & Bute Council

The Argyll and Bute Flexible Food Fund (ABFFF) is aimed at tackling financial insecurity for adults and families across Argyll and Bute.

ABFFF offers financial support and wider confidential professional help to anyone suffering hardship. Working in partnership with the Community Food Forum, Bute Advice Centre and ALIenergy, households with low incomes and no access to cash savings can apply for immediate financial support. The Fund will help support daily living expenses.

If the claimant engages with these services, a second payment will be made to contribute to a further months daily living expenses.

Applications to the Fund can be made via the online claim form. If you need help or support to complete the form please call us on 01700 502784.

Read the full story HERE

EVH

EVH is pleased to announce the above scheme, which is open to all EVH member organisations.  

The intent is to lever in small support grants of £2,500 to fund all/part of the cost of any local initiatives your organisation has in mind to help in alleviating the deleterious effects the cost of living may be having upon the local community/identified service user group your organisation serves/supports.

The scheme will consider any reasonable proposals with the exception of using the grant money to make direct payments to/paying personal bills for individual tenants/service users. Just about anything else will be considered: from funding a heat, meet and buffet evening for elderly residents; through to supporting young children by providing warm outdoor clothing during the winter months; toys at Christmas and so on. If in doubt as to whether your idea will qualify, make a positive assumption. If you have to ask us, do so by telephoning the office – we don’t want emails on this point thanks.

All grants awarded will be precisely £2,500 – no more nor less.  As mentioned above the grant may be used to fund all or part of the initiative you have in mind.

Read the full story HERE

TSPN

Become a member.

Supporting membership initiatives that provide low-cost food & wrap around services.

The Scottish Pantry Network was successfully established as a Scottish Charity on September 10th, 2020, to support community based and place-based organisations establish and support the development of Pantries, Community Fridges and Larders within their local communities.

TSPN provides organisations and community groups with expert advice, step by step guidance, and strategic support in order to ensure that they are a sustainable community asset.

TSPN members use a creative model and strength-based approach to tackle food insecurity, health inequalities and poverty by offering an engaging and tailored service.


It is exciting times ahead for TSPN, the growth of the network to date has proven the support model in place is positively impacting on communities in Scotland.
Read the full story HERE

Corra Foundation

The Household Hardship Fund, administered by Corra Foundation on behalf of National Lottery Community Fund, will open soon.  

The fund will open on Tuesday 22 November 2022. On this date, full information and the application form will be available on the Household Hardship page on our website.

The fund will provide grants between £500-£5,000 to local groups who will pass the money on in cash or vouchers directly to local families and individuals in need.  

Distributing cash or vouchers can be challenging work. We expect that successful applicants to this fund will be organisations who are already supporting families and individuals on low incomes through other activities. This might include projects such as: children’s groups, lunch clubs, churches/faith groups, youth groups, food pantries/banks.

Read the full story HERE

Man On Inverclyde

At the beginning of lockdown due to COVID19, CEO & founder Chris Paul saw an even greater need for suicide prevention support in Inverclyde.

The name ‘Man On’ comes from the football term, used to warn team mates with the ball, the presence of an opposing player behind them. Founder and CEO Chris, chose this name as we want the community to feel like we will always have their back when they feel ‘under attack’ by their mental health.

At Man On Inverclyde, we are now running a weekly 'heat and eat' service every Wednesday 9:30am-1:30pm. This will allow members of the community to come by our wellbeing centre for a heat, and to also charge their phones/laptops if required.

We will also supply sandwiches and hot drinks during this service and supply food packages for those attending to take home with them if they wish.

As always, our wellbeing staff and volunteers will be there should anyone required extra support in regards to their mental health.
Read the full story HERE

Fareshare

Diverting your surplus food to frontline charities is much easier than you think.

Your business could be eligible for funding to help you reduce your food waste.

  • The Surplus with Purpose fund is open to companies seeking to unlock new or hard to reach surplus (or ‘waste’) food, as well as those that haven’t previously worked with FareShare.
  • Businesses could be eligible for funding.
  • We’ll safely divert your edible surplus food via our UK-wide network of nearly 9,500 frontline charities and community groups. Find out more about the food we can accept.

Diverting your surplus food to charities will help you achieve your commitments under the WRAP/IGD Food Waste Reduction Roadmap to Target – Measure – Act to reduce your food waste.

Read the full story HERE

If you would like to submit an article showcasing activities in your community or to detail support that your organisation is providing then please email Emma Scott on emma@surf.scot for further information.
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