The National Lottery Community Fund Scotland

We’re delighted to welcome four new members to our Scotland Committee, effective 1st April. Together, they bring a wealth of experience and passion for making communities stronger, more inclusive, and more resilient across Scotland. Meet our new members: 🌟 Bruce Adamson – Former Children’s Commissioner for Scotland 🌟 David Dorward MBE, DL – Former Chief Executive, Dundee City Council 🌟 Erin Williams – Senior academic and co-founder of Feed charity 🌟 Melodie Crumlin – Former CEO of PEEK and Deputy CEO at MCR Pathways They join Chair Kate Still, Jackie Brock, and Naila Wood in shaping the strategic direction of The National Lottery Community Fund in Scotland. We’re also thrilled to welcome Holly Hendrie as our new Youth Voice representative!

This week is #FoodWasteActionWeek, and we thought we’d give a shout out to one of our incredible projects doing their bit for the planet!🌱 Copath & Cove Community Garden are not only giving local residents a chance to grow fresh produce, they also run their very own village composting scheme to make better use of their organic waste and reduce the amount ending up in landfill. The result? Co’path & Cove Compost, which is now being used to enrich both the community garden and residents’ gardens.🌿 Local volunteer Kelly Wallace said: “It’s great to know that the entire village is coming together to reduce our carbon footprint, even if just a little, to help protect our fragile planet. “There’s always a wonderful sense of community when you visit the allotment – a chat, a laugh, and a real sense of connection. It’s great that we can use the compost we’ve created to nourish our gardens!” We’re so proud to support projects like this that not only bring people together but also work to create a greener, more sustainable future for us all. 🌍💚

Growing up in Possilpark in the ‘70s, the Hamiltonhill Claypits were a place of adventure for my friends and me. At the time, it was just barren land where we'd climb trees and run around. The arrival of drugs in the early ‘80s that meant Possilpark became much more hostile. A lot of people were using, and we all followed suit because it was what our role models were doing. It wasn't until 1998, at the age of 31, that I walked into my local rehab centre. I felt twice my age, and was barely able to walk, but I spent a year in recovery. After that, I worked at the centre, helping others in recovery. I would take people down to the Claypits for walk-and-talks—away from triggers, and where we were less likely to bump into those still caught in addiction. Nature taught me a lot—no matter the weather, you keep moving forward. There aren’t many places in Glasgow where you can walk for hours and feel safe, but the Claypits is one of them. When work began to turn the Claypits into a nature reserve I was keen to get involved, becoming part of the committee. We have a very diverse team—different backgrounds, different pasts—but what unites us is our commitment and love of nature. We held a big recovery event at the Hamiltonhill Claypits Local Nature Reserve in the summer, and I met people I was in rehab with 25 years ago. Some were doing great and some were just restarting their journey—but it was amazing to see them. The sad truth is that most of the addicts that knew me back in the ‘90s are no longer here. Society might judge those caught up in addiction, but I believe in investing in people. If we focus on their strengths, we see the best in them. Life is shaped by circumstances, and I’ve struggled with mental health and loss, but I’ve found strength in the Claypits and in my three lovely sisters and incredible friends. - Scott Milligan, 57 Hamiltonhill Claypits Local Nature Reserve has just been awarded £79,645, in #NationalLottery funding, enabling them to deliver outdoor activities such as pond dipping and guided walks over the next three years.

“Since my husband died, I spend a lot of time on my own so my time in the General Store is precious to me. It helps with my mental health as I get to be with great colleagues and meet lots of people of all ages. It keeps me in touch and helps me feel useful.” “As well as using the computer clinic myself I volunteer meeting and greeting customers and giving advice. I get to meet some lovely people and see how happy and relieved they are when their problem is solved. Our elderly customers tell us they really appreciate the time we give them and that they feel safe coming to us.” - Kath Hewson The General Store Selkirk first started in 2022 as a repair project, fixing items belonging to locals to encourage sustainability. They now offer a tool library where locals can borrow tools for DIY projects as well as a computer clinic, making technology accessible to everyone, especially older residents and promoting the reuse of electronics. It’s great see initiatives like The General Store Selkirk not only fostering sustainability but also bringing people together, creating a stronger and more connected community. 💚

Alness Invergordon Rowing Club have come up with an creative way to tackle isolation in their community. 🚣🏿 Through their community boat-building initiative the group have been bringing locals together to promote physical exercise and improve their mental well-being. Club Secretary Sally Kershaw admitted and no one in the group had any idea how to build a boat when they started last May. “It was a bit overwhelming! However we began tentatively to follow the instructions. Through working from just a kit and a manual, we're now well on our way to launching the club's boat! “We're really looking forward to involving many more people, from the community, young and old to join us in rowing on the Cromarty Firth soon!” Thank to #NationalLottery players, projects like this are made possible 🤞

It’s smiles and waggy tails all round this month as animal and loneliness charity Give A Dog A Bone...and an animal a home celebrate their 70k #NationaLottery funding boost.🐶 The charity’s unique concept is to bring older adults and rescue pets together to combat loneliness and isolation. 80 year old, Barbara Malcolm from Kings Park in Glasgow discovered Give a Dog a Bone when she found herself feeling lonely following the death of her beloved dog Tillie. “Five years ago I was walking in my local park thinking about happy memories with Tillie, when a friendly dog came over to say hello. I started to chat to its owner who told me about Give a Dog a Bone and I decided to go along. “With my age and health issues I can no longer have a dog of my own but I come to the community dog walk every week, come rain or shine, to get my doggy fix. I love all the dogs, but also the friendship and companionship that I now have with all of the lovely people I meet on the walk and in the community space.” The charity runs community spaces in Troon, Shawlands, and Alloa, offering tea, chats, and canine companionship as well as their community dog walks. The new funding will enable the charity to continue providing isolated and lonely older people with opportunities to make friendships and connections.

This week we are at The Scottish Parliament speaking to MSPs about our new Scotland funding programmes. Over the last five years we’ve awarded £341.3 million to 9,921 amazing community projects across Scotland with funding awarded in every one of Scotland’s 73 constituencies. #NationalLottery #ItStartsWithCommunity

I grew up all over the UK, as my mum was a wandering star, never really settling until late in her life. Until I was 12, I never spent more than six months in the same school. For most of my life I was a Chef working at hotels around Scotland but after a life-changing health scare I was forced to change careers. The stress of working long hours in kitchens had taken a toll on me. I needed to start over. What then followed were years of trying different things but most importantly, volunteering. Volunteering has always been a big part of my life. I’ve been a dedicated community activist for years. As my old dad would say, "If something's wrong, lad, don’t sit and moan—get out and fix it." This mindset led me to join various committees and community groups. I established a charity called The Kirkton Larder, which is a community food cooperative designed to utilise excess food from supermarkets, and help those facing food insecurity in my local area. Poverty has always been a reality, and growing up in various children's homes and council estates made me acutely aware of its prevalence. I was invited to join the Dundee Poverty Commission, a group that is comprised of civic and community commissioners who have firsthand experience with poverty. Together, we aimed to examine issues and make meaningful recommendations. This experience inspired me to join the Dundee Fighting for Fairness charity, a role I still actively participate in today. In 2020, I found out about the ‘2027 Programme’ which is an initiative designed to reshape the funding sector and philanthropy in the UK. It was created through a collaboration between five leading social change organizations: Centre for Knowledge Equity, Charityworks, Koreo, Northern Soul Consultancy C.I.C, and Ten Years' Time. The programme focuses on increasing diversity in the funding sector and ensuring that people with lived experience, particularly from working-class communities, have a central role in shaping the future of philanthropy. I applied and eventually, I was selected by The National Lottery Community Fund to become a Community Funder on the northeast team, thanks to my local knowledge. I was overjoyed as I never imagined I would be in this position! Having applied for funding before and often received poor feedback or no responses, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to help improve various aspects of community funding. I truly love the fact that I get to meet and visit wonderful community projects and contribute to funding where I can. The enthusiasm within the sector fills me with joy, and I feel fortunate to be one of those people who genuinely loves their job. I work in the North East, mostly Angus, so if you see me out and about say hi! I love to meet new folk and see new projects. - Eddie Baines, Funding Officer

Six years ago, when my husband David had to go into care, I decided to join Cowal Elderly Befrienders and it’s been a wonderful part of my life ever since. They are so kind and don’t make you feel like there’s anything wrong with you because there isn’t, I for one am as fit as a fiddle! The befrienders have quickly become like a second family. We always have our lunch first then sometimes we go to places like Benmore Botanic Gardens. We all sing along in the minibus on the way there. When I am out with the group I often bump into people that I haven’t seen in a long time. When my husband David passed away a few months ago, the befrienders were so good. I said I’d like to get out of the house so they took me too a Halloween party at the local senior citizens club. It was a wonderful party. I danced around and had a marvellous time and I thought how happy David would be if he could see me. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the befrienders. I look forward to it every week. They will be my friends until the end of my days. 90-year-old. Margaret Walker from Dunoon We are proud that Cowal Elderly Befrienders are supported by #NationalLottery funding.

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