Positive Steps on the shortlist for funding award

DUNDEE charity Positive Steps has been shortlisted to become the latest recipient of funding from Scotmid Co-operative’s Community Connect initiative.

Exclusively tested out in Scotmid’s North Region — encompassing Dundee, Aberdeen, Inverness and Perth — Community Connect was launched earlier this year and enables Scotmid members to award Good Cause Groups with funding of up to £15,000, generated via the sale of single-use carrier bags.

The first recipient was another Dundee charity, Eighteen and Under, which received £15,000 in October.

Positive Steps is one of three Good Cause Groups, which have been shortlisted by a Scotmid member selection panel to receive a financial award of either £15,000, £7,500 or £2,500.

Positive Steps has the overall aim of reducing homelessness in the local community and the service supports 500 individuals annually, who face barriers to living independently that include having physical or learning disabilities, experiencing hardship and suffering from abuse.

Funding from Community Connect will be used to provide a much-needed outreach service to provide female hygiene products to women who are facing mental health or substance abuse problems.

Positive Steps’ hygiene project leader Michelle McGraw said: “It was fantastic to find out we had been shortlisted.

“The prospect of being awarded the funding is great for Positive Steps and it will enable us to provide more female hygiene products to women in our area.

“The funding will also be used to extend the service we provide into schools in Dundee, so young women and girls can benefit. We are also now getting requests from men for hygiene products, so the more funding we receive, the more people we will be able to help in the community.”

Michelle McGraw