East Region - Shortlisted Member Choice Award Groups
Dr Bell's Family Centre
Nurture & Natter group is a welcoming, supportive group which takes place at Dr Bell’s Family Centre in Leith for families with children aged 10 months to 5 years. Offering a safe, non-judgemental space where parents, carers, and children can connect, play, and grow together. Through fun, engaging activities, they support bonding, learning, and wellbeing—particularly for families facing barriers such as low income, isolation, or limited access to community support.
Funding Goal
Funding would help Nurture & Natter provide fun activities, play resources and wellbeing support for local families, helping parents and children connect, learn and grow together.
Edinburgh Children's Hospital Charity
Based at The Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh, Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity works to ensure no child has to face hospital alone.
The charity supports children and families through the challenges of hospital treatment, providing practical, emotional and financial support to help reduce anxiety, improve wellbeing and make their hospital experience as positive as possible.
Funding Goal
Funding would provide toys, games, crafts and play equipment for children receiving care at Edinburgh’s Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, helping them cope with difficult treatments and find moments of comfort and fun.
Kidz-Eco CIC
Kidz-Eco is a West Lothian social enterprise supporting families in West Lothian for 16 years. Primarily work with families who have children aged 0–5 through practical resources, community programmes, and inclusive spaces. Their pre-loved baby shop provides affordable children’s goods, while their play space, classes, peer support, and wellbeing work helps families connect and thrive. By offering low cost goods, early years support, and barrier free activities, they reduce financial pressure and help tackle health inequalities linked to poverty. Working closely with local partners and health professionals, they meet families where they are and adapt their support to what they need.
Funding Goal
Funding would help Kidz-Eco provide affordable baby essentials, play activities, classes and family support, helping local families reduce financial pressure, connect with others and give their children the best start.
Fife Gingerbread
Fife Gingerbread supports lone parents and families across Fife by reducing poverty, tackling isolation and helping families thrive. Creating better todays and brighter tomorrows for lone parents and families in need. Through advice, support and practical help, they work to build stronger, more resilient families. Their Day2Play Appeal ensures children don’t miss out on fun, play and shared experiences, funding days out and activities that boost wellbeing, confidence and happy memories—especially during school holidays.
Funding Goal
Funding would help Fife Gingerbread give children from families experiencing poverty access to days out, activities and family experiences, helping them enjoy the simple joys of childhood without financial barriers.
Dean & Cauvin Young People's Trust
With extensive experience supporting the most vulnerable and care-experienced young parents through pregnancy, early parenthood and the critical early years. Each year Dean & Cauvin Young People’s Trust works with 20–25 young parents across residential, transitional and community settings, helping them build safe, nurturing relationships with their babies and move towards safety, stability and independence. Since 2023, their Connected Care for Mums and Babies pathway has strengthened this work by integrating residential support at Cauvin House with time-limited transition outreach and longer-term community parenting support.
Funding Goal
Funding would help create the Nurture Neuk, a safe and homely space where vulnerable mothers and babies can bond, develop parenting skills and build confidence and stability for the future.
Ready, Set, Thrive!
Ready, Set, Thrive! provide a safe, nurturing and non judgemental space that allows every child to play, every day. Aiming to remove barriers neurodivergent kids and their families face in their daily life and make valuable things such as play open to everyone.
Funding Goal
Funding would help make play more accessible for neurodivergent children and their families, providing an inclusive, safe space where every child can play, connect and feel welcome.
Previous Member Choice Award Groups
- SAM Radio (Edinburgh)
- Newtongrange Community Garden (Midlothian)
- Simba Charity (Edinburgh & Midlothian)
- Community One Stop Shop (Edinburgh)
- LINK – East Fife Mental Health Befriending Services
- Changes East Lothian
- Deans Community High School
- Into Work
- Lodestars Community Hub CIC
- Treetop Family Nurture Centre
- Care for Carers
- KNEC Community Listening Project
- Pennypit Community Development Trust
- Canongate Youth
- Door in The Wall
- Croft Street Hub
- Forever Young Club (West Edinburgh)
- Gorebridge Community Cares
Waste Not, Want Not in Kirkliston - Seagull Trust Cruises – Ratho
- Spark (West Lothian)
- The Larder(Livingston)