East Region - Shortlisted Member Choice Award Groups
SAM Radio (Edinburgh)
SAM (Scottish Autistic Media) is a radio station in Edinburgh, Scotland for adults who are on the Autistic Spectrum. They have 40 Adults who all do their own show, which they present and produce. Some bring in guests on their show, which helps get their voice out into the wider community. They won the Forth Award in 2018 and an ARIA award in 2022 and feel that SAM RADIO helps autistic people find their voice.
Funding Goal
Funding will be used to upgrade their studio broadcasting equipment and studio environment, outdoor studio equipment for remote broadcasting, and enhance sensory‑friendly studio features for autistic presenters.
Newtongrange Community Garden (Midlothian)
Newtongrange Community Garden is community-focused group, providing inclusive outdoor learning and nature-based activities for local people of all ages. Their work focuses on environmental education, beekeeping, biodiversity, and wellbeing, with many sessions designed especially for children, schools, and families. Through hands-on experiences with nature, they aim to build confidence, encourage learning, support mental wellbeing, and inspire positive action to protect our environment and local pollinators.
Funding Goal
Funding will be used to support free bee and environmental learning sessions at Newtongrange Community Garden. The hands‑on outdoor sessions would be open to the whole community and children—supporting local schools, nurseries and families to learn about bees, biodiversity, food growing and environmental care.
Simba Charity (Edinburgh & Midlothian)
Simba provides memory making opportunities to families who experience the loss of a baby due to miscarriage, stillbirth, or neonatal death. Since their founding in 2005, they have supported over 120,000 families and continue to ensure that grieving parents and families feel understood and supported through their most difficult of times. They offer Memory Boxes to over 2,500 families each year, giving parents a safe way to preserve precious memories of their baby.
Funding Goal
Funding will be used to help provide memory boxes for bereaved families, giving parents a safe way to preserve precious memories of their baby.
Community One Stop Shop (Edinburgh)
Community One Stop Shop is a local charity based in Broomhouse, Edinburgh, providing practical support to individuals and families in need. They offer a range of services including a Community Pantry, Foodbank, Baby Bank, Calders Soup Kitchen, and an Advice Service to help with benefits, housing, and fuel support. Their aim is to reduce poverty, improve wellbeing, and create a stronger, more connected community.
Funding Goal
Funding will be used to support additional technology and resources to help improve efficiency and support vulnerable individuals across their Baby Bank, Community Pantry, Advice Service, and Calders Soup Kitchen, ensuring they can meet growing demand and help more people access vital support.
LINK - East Fife Mental Health Befriending Services
LINK provides a befriending service for adults (18-65 years) and adolescents (12–18 years) who are marginalised and isolated due to a mental health issue in Northeast and Central Fife, helping people feel less alone and more connected to their communities.
Funding Goal
Funding will be used to help continue providing meaningful social connection for isolated local people. Funding will support community outings, creative activities, refreshments and essential transport.
Broxburn Pre-School Playgroup
Broxburn Pre-School Playgroup is a small community based charity playgroup providing a play environment for 2 – 5 year olds where they feel safe, valued and are able to learn and grow at their own pace, and have been a part of Broxburn’s community for over 40 years.
Funding Goal
Funding will be used to enhance its learning environment with high‑quality, natural materials and child‑friendly equipment such as a Storytelling Tree, and children’s tables and chairs.
Previous Member Choice Award Groups
- 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)