Groups receive £3m in lottery funding

ORGANISATIONS across Tayside and Fife have benefited from a share of more than £3 million of National Lottery funding distributed across Scotland.

A total of 37 charities and community groups across Dundee, Angus, Perth and Kinross and Fife have secured almost £382,000 between them.

The National Lottery Community Fund shared £3.3 million across 282 groups across Scotland.

The Fife Rape and Sexual Assault Centre (FRASAC) received the largest sum with an award of £99,210. The organisation said it would use the funds to employ two crisis and early i ntervention workers.

Centre manager Jan Swan said: “This funding will provide vital services to those most in need and enable families to help t h e m s e lv e s b e y o n d FRASAC’s intervention.”

Fife Pride also benefited from the funding, having secured £10,000. Convener Pat Greenhough said: “This will go towards ensuring that Fife Pride is free for all to attend.”

Fife Pride will be held on its Facebook page this year due to lockdown.

Mental health charity The Lighthouse for Perth is one of 13 Perth and Kinross organisations to secure funding. The charity received £10,000.

Manager Sharon Thomas said: “This grant will enable us to provide a support service to anyone aged 12 and over who may need help coping with the immediate effects and the longer lasting effects of Covid-19.

“We will also be able to provide crisis out-ofhours telephone support and, when necessary, overnight accommodation.”

In Angus, nine groups including Angus Creative Minds and Spotlights Community Youth Theatre were awarded a total of almost £75,500.

The Boomerang Community Centre, Camperdown Parish Church and the Dundee International Women’s Centre were the three Dundonian organisations which shared more than £15,000 of funding.

INSURANCE company NFU Mutual has donated more than £3,000 to Perth mental health charity Mindspace.

In light of the coronavirus pandemic, the rural insurance company has allocated £1 million to help charities throughout the UK, with its Perth branch choosing Mindspace to receive £3,164.

Mindspace is still working hard to provide support during lockdown.

Young people can access up to 12 sessions of 1:1 support from an experienced and specialist counsellor to help them cope with the difficulties

A COUNCILLOR has asked residents not to “jump to conc lu sion s” a f te r used needles were found a lon g Br ou g ht y Fe r r y waterfront.

One woman who found a needle while out walking on Fisher Street contacted the Tele to warn others.

She told the Tele: “A few months ago my mum was at the beach in front of The Ship Inn and found a full syringe with needle attached, she phoned the council and they picked it up.

“Then, while I was out on Monday night, I found one, too.”

The resident sais she was concerned about the spread of disease and infections caused by discarded syringes and needles.

She said: “It’s just really concerning because of the number of dogs, dog walkers and kids at the beach. The one my mum found before was uncovered and a full syringe.

“More really needs to be done about Dundee’s drug problem, and getting people the help they really need.”

But while many are quick to associate the sight of used needles