Inverness based Highland Hospice has been shortlisted to become one of the latest recipients of funding from Scotmid Co-operative’s popular Community Connect initiative – potentially being awarded £15,000 in order to help strengthen the service the charity provides in the Highlands.
Community Connect was launched in 2017 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 North Member Region, Highland Hospice is one of three good cause groups, who have been short-listed by a Scotmid member selection panel to receive a financial award. Scotmid members will decide on how the pot of £25,000 is awarded. The group with the most votes will receive £15,000 and the two runners-up will each receive £5,000. Scotmid members can cast their votes in store from the 8th – 22nd September or attend the OGM which will be held at Brechin on 1 October.
The other short-listed Good Cause Groups are Brechin City Hall Users Group and Kincardine and Deeside Befriending.
Highland Hospice provides palliative care to improve the quality of life for people throughout the Highlands who have life limiting illness and require specific treatment for difficult problems such as pain and symptom control or require rehabilitation.
Their team also offers advice with the emotional, social and spiritual issues that may arise and work with patients and loved ones at a time of transition to help them enjoy, value and commemorate life.
They seek funding to improve awareness of and access to bereavement support and to train more volunteers to support individuals in need.
John Brodie, Chief Executive of Scotmid, said: “We are passionate about supporting local causes which are close to the hearts and minds of our members, customers and staff and are thrilled to have such worthy causes nominated to receive our latest round of Community Connect funding. We know how much those who work for these charities go above and beyond every single day for the benefit of their service users and local communities and this should be celebrated.
“We wish Highland Hospice the very best of luck and hope that the Highlands community can get behind them and cast their votes so that the funds can go some way towards helping them bring worthwhile projects to life.”
Scotmid members are encouraged to support both charities’ 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 North Region Annual General Meeting.
Image: Head of Fundraising Andrew Leaver, and nurse Kate Ford