Lottery aid rocks with dads charity

Edinburgh based charity, Dads Rock, will be able to provide a wide range of online support to 1,000 families across the city over the next six months thanks to a National Lottery award of £9,950.

Scran Academy also received an award of £10,000 to deliver free hot meals to vulnerable people across the north of Edinburgh, working with local partners to ensure gaps in service are covered.

The award to Dads Rock and Scran are two of six in Edinburgh sharing in £247,582 of funding from The National Lottery Community Fund. Across the country, 141 groups from charities to smaller voluntary led community projects, are receiving funding raised by National Lottery players for a range of activities, many of which will help people to support each other through the Covid-19 crisis. Projects funded include those that will deliver emergency care packages to vulnerable Scots, those providing online and telephone support to isolated people, as well as projects that will bring people together and give hope for the future once the lockdown is over.

Thomas Lynch, Service Manager, Dad’s Rock, said: “Every year we work in deprived areas to help dads, children and families in need of support through free playgroups, mentoring of young dads and delivering antenatal and parenting workshops.

“Thanks to this funding we have been able to respond quickly to the impact of Covid-19 and support our beneficiaries at this difficult time.

"We are now providing online workshops to parents, including antenatal and Raising Children with Confidence. We are also supporting our Young Dads online and, on the telephone, providing music tuition online and providing support to all our families through videos and social media.

“Through these activities parents feel supported and have the tools they need to fully support their children, even in lockdown.”

John Loughton, founder and CEO of Scran Academy said: "Covid-19 has hit our communities rapidly and created serious implications for many of our most vulnerable people. Scran Academy and our partners have been able to repurpose and rapidly respond to help offer over 10,500 delivered ready meals to those elderly, frail, facing food poverty or socially isolated. The support from The National Lottery demonstrates a trust and understanding in us as grassroots providers to ensure no-one went hungry or alone from day one."

“Agencies like ours have become not only the sole source of hot food and human contact, but like a fifth emergency service."