Coronavirus millions help local community groups
STEPHEN BARK
Community organisations in South Lanarkshire have been supported by almost £7.4 million in coronavirus funding from the Scottish Government.
Across Scotland, almost £200m in coronavirus support and relief funding has been allocated by the government to help the country through the crisis.
In South Lanarkshire, that works out at £23.15 per person from the six different funds.
Although Glasgow City (£24.1m) and North Lanarkshire (£8.3m) received a larger amount in support of neighbouring regions, only East Renfrewshire (£19.48m) received a lower per capita level of funding than South Lanarkshire.
The Scottish Welfare Fund helps families and people who are on low incomes through Crisis Grants and Community Care Grants and more than £1.3m has been distributed in need in South Lanarkshire during the coronavirus pandemic.
A further £315,847 has come from the Supporting Communities Fund which provides funding to community organisations, such as charities, voluntary organisations, community controlled housing associations and social enterprises to help support local responses to the pandemic.
In South Lanarkshire, 33 organisations have been helped by funding from the Third Sector Resilience Fund worth £365,080.
This is an emergency fund for charities, community groups, social enterprises and voluntary organisations which supports organisations already delivering services but find themselves in financial difficulties directly as a result of the pandemic.
Rutherglen and Cambuslang groups that benefitted included Cambuslang Out of School Care Project (£1,890), High Flyers Community Childcare (£13,286), the Lanarkshire Association for Mental Health (£10,000) REACH Lanarkshire Autism £(5,875) and Whitlawburn Community Resource Centre (£8,150).
Rutherglen MSP Clare Haughey said: “Covid-19 has disrupted our lives like never before – sadly impacting on people’s wellbeing and causing real financial hardship.
“The Scottish Government’s £350m emergency funding for communities to help tackle such harms has been a lifeline for many groups across South Lanarkshire.
“Organisations in my constituency like Healthy n Happy, who support people in Rutherglen and Cambuslang, and Community Links in Blantyre have been worthy recipients of this Scottish Government funding.
“Taking the many funding streams into account, South Lanarkshire Council has received per capita funding in line with many councils across Scotland, including South Ayrshire, Stirling, Perth and Kinross, Fife and the City of Edinburgh councils.
“Protecting and supporting people during these unparalleled times is the absolute focus of this Scottish Government.”
People who recently became selfemployed in the region have been awarded more than £2.9m from the Hardship Fund which aims to help people who aren’t eligible for other schemes including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the Self-employment Income Support Scheme.
Grants totalling more than £1.9m have come from the Food Fund which helps to address food insecurity caused by the pandemic.
This includes individuals who are shielding as well as older people, pregnant women and those unable to access food and/or unable to afford food.
The Wellbeing Fund has supported third sector organisations in South Lanarkshire that are providing important services to people who are most affected by the coronavirus pandemic with funding of £398,999.
Communities secretary and
Clydesdale MSP Aileen Campbell said: “We are aware of the financial pressures many households are currently facing and these maps show the swift action and substantial financial support we have provided to help people at this difficult time.
“We have reached every local authority, delivering for communities across Scotland.”