Ten community trusts to receive Winter Support Fund
Written By Jake Gray
The SPFL Trust have awarded ten community trusts with funding in response to the challenges facing people across the country this winter.
A brand-new £100,000 Winter Support Fund has been launched to provide clubs with additional funding to deliver projects in their area.
Aberdeen FC Community Trust, Arbroath FC Community Trust, Celtic FC Foundation, Dundee FC Community Trust, Dundee United Community Trust, Hibernian Community Foundation, Queen of the South Community Trust, Partick Thistle Charitable Trust, St Mirren FC Charitable Foundation and Montrose Community Trust have all been successful with their applications.
- Aberdeen FC Community Trust will be hosting the ‘Pittodrie Community Hub’ welcoming 30-40 people per week for some hot food, health and wellbeing sessions and access to support services
- Arbroath FC Community Trust are expanding their community cafe, which has direct links to the local foodbank, with the launch of ‘The Lichties Community Space’. This project will be aimed at elderly and unemployed people as well as families who are in need of support. This project aims to reduce the stigma around foodbanks and meet increasing demand in their community
- In the west, Celtic FC Foundation are launching the ‘Winter Huddle Hub’, inviting vulnerable adults for a 3-course hot meal, warm packs, additional support and support sessions from partners
- Dundee FC Community Trusts sessions will be linked directly with Age UK, and named ‘Dinner at Dens’. They will welcome up to 20 people per week for dinner, themed sessions and additional support
- Across the road, Dundee United Community Trust are launching the ‘Tannadice Winter Hub’ which aims to support families, elderly and disabled adults. This project will support up to 80 people per week and consist of four sessions per week; Monday Meet Up, Try it Tuesday, Family Friday and Cinema Sunday
- In the capital, Hibernian Community Foundation will be supporting refugee’s and new Scots with their ‘Club Together’ project. They will provide a weekly lunch and social cafe for the local and refugee community. Linked with Cyrenians, this project will also provide weekly activities and training opportunities
- Queen of the South Community Trust are launching ‘Social South’ a project aimed at elderly and unemployed people, providing an educational cooking lunch club, in partnership with Developing the Young Workforce, Department for Work and Pensions, and Citizens Advice
- ‘Meet and Eat’ is being launched by Partick Thistle Charitable Trust. Aimed at elderly people and families in poverty, they will be running an elderly social sessions followed by a children and families social sessions each week, providing hot meals as well as social support
- St Mirren FC Charitable Foundation are hosting two weekly sessions with ‘Winter Buddies’. This project will provide entertainment and support sessions for families and individuals in need. Food and clothing will also be available from this service
- Montrose Community Trust will launch the ‘Montrose ComfortTable’ alongside partner agencies, providing a weekly afternoon (and into early evening) of warmth, companionship, and additional support, tackling fuel poverty but also food insecurity through the provision of an oven cooked meal for all.
SPFL Trust CEO Nicky Reid said: “We are delighted to be rolling out our winter response, doing our bit to support communities across Scotland in these tough times.
“While Christmas and New Year is a time of celebration for many; it is also an extremely challenging environment for more people than ever.
“It’s the Christmas spirit in action as we see the power of football in spades – with clubs spreading cheer in their communities.
“Scottish football is trusted to support, and our recent research shows that almost 83% of people live within ten miles of a SPFL ground – because of this clubs and their associated community trusts are well positioned to effect this type of change in their communities.”
For more information on the overall Winter Response visit: https://spfltrust.org.uk/winter-response/