Edinburgh’s Health in Mind have been short-listed to become one of the latest recipients of funding from Scotmid Co-operative’s Community Connect initiative – potentially being awarded up to £15,000 in funding.
Community Connect was launched last year and enables Scotmid members to award good cause groups in their local area with funding of up to £15,000, generated via the sale of single use carrier bags.
In Scotmid’s East Member Region – encompassing Edinburgh, Fife and the Lothians – Health in Mind are one of three good cause groups, who have been short-listed by a Scotmid member selection panel to receive a financial award of either £15,000, £7,500 or £2,500.
The other short-listed Good Cause Groups are Edinburgh’s Venchie Children’s and Young People’s Project and Dunfermline Food Bank.
Scotmid members collect votes by swiping their Community Connect card after every in-store purchase and then cast their votes for their preferred good cause group either in-store or at Scotmid’s East Region Annual General Meeting in Edinburgh in April.
Based in Shandwick Place, Health in Mind is a charity promoting positive mental health and wellbeing. The charity’s unique mix of services includes befriending projects, information, counselling services and specialised trauma support.
Community Connect funding will go towards the training of 100 volunteer befrienders who will be matched with at least 100 people throughout Edinburgh, Midlothian and the Scottish Borders who have become lonely and isolated as a result of mental health problems.
Health in Mind’s Lynne Stanford said: “We were thrilled to discover Health in Mind was shortlisted for the Community Connect awards.
“As a local charity we rely on donations to allow us to continue to promote and support positive mental health and wellbeing in Edinburgh, the Lothians and the Scottish Borders.
“We will use the money raised by Scotmid members to support the training of 100 volunteer befrienders, who will be matched with at least 100 people throughout Edinburgh, the Lothians, and the Scottish Borders, who have become lonely and isolated as a result of mental health problems.
“One in four people will experience mental health problems in their lifetime and Scotmid members will be helping us be there for them.”