Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Six-figure funding boost for Foundation
Airdrie charity the Moira Anderson Foundation has received a funding boost of more than £145,000 which will allow them to slash waiting times for their services.
The five- year grant from the Bank of Scotland Foundation’s new Invest programme means the local organisation can now provide an additional client support officer to help those affected by childhood sexual abuse.
It will see waiting times for their increasingly in-demand services – including counselling, play and art therapies and person- centred support – reduced to a maximum of four weeks, less than half the current time.
Foundation director Gillian Urquhart said: “Reducing our waiting time is a real priority for us – it’s incredibly important that our clients receive support when they need it and don’t endure lengthy delays.
“We’re thrilled to have been awarded this funding from Bank of Scotland Foundation; it will make a huge difference to our organisation and a real difference to people’s lives.”
The welcome funding boost, in the charity’s 20th anniversary year, comes shortly after the Moira Anderson Foundation was nominated for the Scottish charity of the year award.
Bank of Scotland Foundation officials said: “The charity has 20 years’ experience of delivering this needs-based support service and has seen an increase in demand.”
Invest grants were made to eight charities across Scotland, sharing nearly £860,000 to “support positive change” and “help to ensure financial certainty during these exceptionally difficult times”.
Bank foundation trustee board chair Philip Grant said: “Scotland’s charities faced enough financial pressure before Covid-19, but with large-scale fundraising events now being cancelled, the pressure is even greater.
“We’re delighted to have been able to continue as planned with our new Invest programme and award the Moira Anderson Foundation longer-term funding to help to ensure financial stability.”
Staff and volunteers at the Moira Anderson Foundation have had double cause to celebrate this month as they were also shortlisted for the prestigious charity of the year honour at the annual awards run by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations.
Charity founder Sandra Brown told the Advertiser that the nomination shows that “ours is a charity whose time has come”, saying: “This is an acknowledgement that over time there’s been a significant change in attitudes to abuse – that veil of secrecy is being lifted.”
She added “Child sexual offences have risen 30 per cent in the past five years – it’s horrifying. We’ve come a long way but there’s a lot of work still to be done as our work has never been more needed.”
“This nomination recognises the very challenging journey that we’ve had; it’s on behalf of countless survivors and shows how powerful it is when their voices are finally heard.”