High demand sees mental health projects across Scotland benefit from increased funding

High demand sees mental health projects across Scotland benefit from increased funding

After launching its Mental Health Fund in May - a one-off funding programme to help support mental health charities and other charities that deliver projects focussing on mental health - Bank of Scotland Foundation has awarded 28 Scottish charities with a share of £356,473. Such was the demand for financial support of mental health projects that the initial budget of £320,000 was increased to enable more charities to be funded over the next year.

Grants were awarded of between £2,990 and £25,000 with many contributing towards the salary cost of counsellors and various forms of creative therapies, enabling charities to expand their services and offer more support to those in need. It is anticipated that almost 5,000 individuals will directly benefit from the Foundation’s Mental Health Fund awards, with a large number of those supported being children and young people living in deprived areas who have had little or no access to support.

Philip Grant, Chair of Bank of Scotland Foundation’s Board of Trustees and Chair of the Scottish Executive Committee, Lloyds Banking Group said, “While we expected this new funding programme to be popular, the level of demand we encountered was remarkable - demonstrating just how many people are affected by mental health problems across Scotland.

“We launched our Mental Health Fund to help those in real need and owing to the strength of the applications we received from charities, we took the decision  to increase the overall funding available to help many more who have limited access to support.”

Church House Bridgeton, based in Glasgow, supports young people and families in Bridgeton and the surrounding areas to find fullness of life through recreational activities and informal education. They received a grant of £17,545 to enable them to employ a part time Health and Wellbeing Youth Worker who will support 50 young people at their Bridgeton family support centre, supporting young people when they face issues such as family bereavements, depression or other health and wellbeing issues.

Graham Hyndman at Church House Bridgeton commented, “As there is no known service in the area for young people to seek support for mental health, we wanted to create a safe, welcoming place for them to get advice on how to cope. Securing funding for a Health and Wellbeing Youth Worker could be the difference between young people seeking support at times of need, rather than waiting and problems getting worse. We want to help reduce the stigma surrounding mental health and encourage young people and their families to talk about how they are feeling.”

Mental Health Fund awards made: -

Charity

Award

Region

Venture Scotland

£25,000

Lothians

Counselling Care Skye and Lochalsh

£25,000

Highlands & Islands

Clackmannanshire Citizens Advice Bureau

£24,936

Mid Scotland & Fife

Midlothian Young Peoples Advice Service

£24,307

Lothians

Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs

£21,330

Glasgow

Orkney Alcohol Counselling & Advisory Service

£20,000

Highlands & Islands

Glasgow East Women's Aid

£19,300

Glasgow

Church House, Bridgeton [SCIO]

£17,545

Glasgow

IWORK4ME

£17,010

Lothians

Edinburgh Young Carers

£14,000

Lothians

Rag Tag and Textile Ltd

£13,000

Highlands & Islands

Dundee and Angus ADHD Support Group

£12,355

North East Scotland

Impact Arts (Projects) Ltd

£11,565

Glasgow

PND Borders

£11,331

South Scotland

Tweeddale Youth Action

£10,339

South Scotland

Mikeysline

£10,000

Highlands & Islands

Theatre Nemo

£10,000

Glasgow

Common Wheel

£10,000

Glasgow

East Kilbride & District Dementia Carers Group

£10,000

Central Scotland

Toonspeak Young People's Theatre Ltd

£9,291

Glasgow

Turning Point Scotland

£8,273

Glasgow

Deafblind Scotland

£6,585

West Scotland

Harbour Counselling Service Limited

£5,000

Mid Scotland & Fife

Bridge Community Project SCIO

£4,986

Lothians

The Moira Anderson Foundation

£4,900

Central Scotland

Hibernian Community Foundation

£4,000

Lothians

Human Development Scotland

£3,430

Glasgow

Talkmatters

£2,990

Mid Scotland & Fife