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Dear Community Resilience Group/Community Council/Colleagues,

Welcome to The Highland Council’s fortnightly briefing for groups with an interest in local community resilience.

Funding  

SCVO  is a key source of funding information for the third sector. Funds that may be of interest include:

• British Ecological Society – Outreach GrantsGrants are available to projects promoting and engaging with the science of ecology. Next Deadline 13 September 2023
• Mushroom TrustMain focus is on protecting and enhancing green spaces, including horticultural and aesthetic enhancement. Next deadline: 31 March 2024.
• Localgiving – Magic Little Grants 
  Supports projects involved in mental health, physical activity, reducing poverty, and more. Next deadline 31 October 2023.

Local Improvement Fund

The Highland Alcohol & Drugs Partnership are offering six grants of up to £50,000 to third sector organisations between 2023-2025. The focus is on projects which aim to reduce people developing problematic substance use and offering support for prevention, early intervention, and treatment of alcohol and drug related harm. Expressions of Interest must be submitted by Monday 24 July.

Community Ownership Fund

The Community Ownership Fund is a £150 million fund over 4 years to support community groups across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland to take ownership of assets which are at risk of being lost to the community.

Closing date: 4 rounds per year until 2025

Welfare, poverty reduction and resilience

• Suicide Prevention Scotland – As part of the strategy for reducing suicide deaths in Scotland, Suicide Prevention Scotland will be developing partnerships and working at national and local levels. Follow the link to see their year 1 priorities, action plan, and other information.
• Highland Alcohol & Drugs Partnership Bulletin 76 – This issue has information on training and links to other useful information.
• Climate Change Event (Invergordon 26 July 12:30-3:30 & Wick 27 July 10:30-130 ) – The Scottish Government is holding a number of events to shape upcoming climate change policy. The links provide full details, but the events are open to anyone local to the area who wants to share their views on challenges and opportunities for a transition to net zero.
• NHS Lochaber Redesign – Attached is a letter and Q and A from NHS Highland about the Lochaber Hospital Redesign.
• Independent Chair Required for Highland Alcohol and Drugs Partnership – attached is the job advert to appoint a Chair for the HADP. Closing date is 24 July 2023 (midday)
• Cycling World Championship – Please see the attached document regarding the up-to-date information regarding the potential road disruption associated with the various events across the country. Significant additional traffic is expected on the A82, especially on 5^th August.
• SSEN community Benefit Fund – SSEN has recently set out plans to work with communities to channel funds into vital local projects across the north of Scotland. They have set up a consultation feedback form to engage with all stakeholders with an interest in the community benefit fund. 
• CyberScotland Bulletin July 2023 – Topics include a new partnership funding initiative, speech on AI and security, and a cyber essentials survey.
• Cost of living support – Highland Council webpages on support and information to help with the cost of living.
• Help during the cost-of-living crisis – Scottish Government advice and information.
• Energy Advice – Inverness Badenoch and Strathspey Citizens Advice Bureau offer free, impartial energy advice to householders. We provide advice to help reduce household energy use, save money, and understand energy bills and support householders to manage energy debt. This can be done in person, over the phone or by video call. We can be contacted on 01463 219742 or email energy@invernesscab.org

Mental Health and Wellbeing

• NHS Highland Mental Wellbeing – a collection of resources and signposts to help people of all ages to look after their own mental wellbeing. Register for the event by following the link.
• Cost of living crisis and your mental health
  Many people are feeling the strain as the cost of living continues to increase.  This resource provides information on how you can maintain your mental wellbeing at this time, alongside information on how to manage your money as bills rise.

Emergency Planning 

• Met Office Weather Warnings – https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/warnings-and-advice/uk-warnings#?date=2022-11-04
• Met Office Weather Ready https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/warnings-and-advice/weatherready 
• Scottish Flood Forecasting – Provides up to date information on when and where flooding is expected to occur over a three-day period.
• Floodline Scotland https://floodlinescotland.org.uk/ 
• Ready Scotland – preparing for emergencies https://ready.scot/

Douglas Crawford
Business Analyst

Community Support and Engagement

Highland Council

Dear Community Resilience Group/Community Council/Colleagues,

Welcome to The Highland Council’s fortnightly briefing for groups with an interest in local community resilience.

Funding  

SCVO  is a key source of funding information for the third sector. Funds that may be of interest include:

• The Truemark TrustMakes grants to charitable bodies dealing with all kinds of disadvantage, with preferences to neighbourhood-based community projects. Apply at any time, Trustees meet every three months.
• The Tabhair Charitable Trust 
  Supports small to medium sized charities focusing on improving social wellbeing and employment opportunities.
• Misses Barrie Charitable TrustThis trust gives to a wide range of charitable causes, recent examples include young people, music, and physical health. Apply at any time, trustees meet three times a year.

Social Innovation Challenge 
Funds and supports innovators to kick-start solutions that tackle some of the most pressing challenges of our time. The programme will award up to £50,000 in granting funding to support the development of new social enterprise solutions.

The theme this year is focused on issues connected with the rising cost of living. They will be looking to support new social enterprise ideas for removing the deep-rooted obstacles that prevent individuals and communities form living fulfilling and dignified lives.

CyberScotland Partnership Funding
Organisations are invited to submit proposals for grant-funded activity which delivers progress on specific aims and outcomes of The Strategic Framework for a Cyber Resilient Scotland and receive funding ranging from £5,000 to £50,000. 

With a focus on enhancing cyber resilience in specific target groups, applicants are encouraged to address the outlined areas of priority. Collaborative proposals are also welcomed, fostering the spirit of cooperation and knowledge sharing within the cyber security community.

Welfare, poverty reduction and resilience

• SEPA Water Scarcity Report – The latest report shows that Nairn and the Black Isle join Loch Maree as being areas with significant water scarcity, while Nairn is now classified as having moderate water scarcity. See the report for full details and guidance.
• Community Learning Exchange – Supports community groups by encouraging collaboration and partnerships through the sharing of resources and peer learning. Provides the opportunity for communities who are planning new projects or initiatives to learn from the experiences of others.
• Resilience Learning Hub – Ready Scotland are providing learning resources to help individuals, community groups, and voluntary sector organisations to prepare for, respond to, and recover from a range of emergencies. They offer learning modules, and a further list of free learning on topics offered by trusted partners. 
• Be Safe Be Sound Campaign – Counter Terrorism Policing is collaborating with the UK’s music industry to deliver safety advice to the public. Campaign materials are available, at no cost, for organisations, venues, and festivals to use on any appropriate communication platform. Materials include videos, posters, banners, and guidelines.
• Community Council Election Timetable 2023 – Elections for community councils will be held soon. The notice of Election and further guidance will be published 4 September 2023 and the deadline for submitting nomination papers will be 3 October 2023. For the full timetable and further guidance see the elections webpage.
• Lockbit Ransomware – Lockbit Ransomware has been the most prolific form of malware since January 2022 and represents the highest ransomware threat to UK organisations. Attached is a guidance document highlighting the threat of malware along with mitigations to help prevent falling victim to ransomware.
• Cost of living support – Highland Council webpages on support and information to help with the cost of living.
• Help during the cost-of-living crisis – Scottish Government advice and information.
• Energy Advice – Inverness Badenoch and Strathspey Citizens Advice Bureau offer free, impartial energy advice to householders. We provide advice to help reduce household energy use, save money, and understand energy bills and support householders to manage energy debt. This can be done in person, over the phone or by video call. We can be contacted on 01463 219742 or email energy@invernesscab.org

Mental Health and Wellbeing

• NHS Highland Mental Wellbeing – a collection of resources and signposts to help people of all ages to look after their own mental wellbeing. Register for the event by following the link.
• Cost of living crisis and your mental health
  Many people are feeling the strain as the cost of living continues to increase.  This resource provides information on how you can maintain your mental wellbeing at this time, alongside information on how to manage your money as bills rise.

Emergency Planning 

• Met Office Weather Warnings – https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/warnings-and-advice/uk-warnings#?date=2022-11-04
• Met Office Weather Ready https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/warnings-and-advice/weatherready 
• Scottish Flood Forecasting – Provides up to date information on when and where flooding is expected to occur over a three-day period.
• Floodline Scotland https://floodlinescotland.org.uk/ 
• Ready Scotland – preparing for emergencies https://ready.scot/

Douglas Crawford
Business Analyst

Community Support and Engagement

Highland Council

We would like to extend an invite to the local community council and associated residents of Dores to join us at Aldourie Castle next Thursday 6^th July , anytime between 3-6pm for a reopening explore of the Castle, steadings and gardens to enjoy our completed works.

Please share and hope we can welcome and thank our local community that have put up with all our works over the last few years.

Kind Regards

Lavinia

LAVINIA TURNER

WILDLAND / HOSPITALITY MANAGER

Highland Council is supporting the occupants of properties with private water supplies which are running dry.  These are permanent addresses with resident householders.

We have been notified that there are a couple of properties, in the Torness area, with such problems.

In addition to supplying bottled water, we are looking for any community facilities, on the public (Scottish Water) water supply, from where the householder could replenish containers.

Are you aware of any such locations in your Community Council area (eg Hall or local business with outside tap) who may be able to assist in this or providing laundry facilities, until the water supply resumes?

I am advised Torness is near the boundary of 3 Community Council areas so am contacting all 3.  We would be grateful for any suggestions as to help that can be provided

Stephen Mardon

Resilience Officer

The Highland Council

Glenurquhart Road

Inverness

IV3 5NX

0800 838009

Direct Dial 01463 702769

Work mobile: 07798 857613

Stephen.mardon@highland.gov.uk