Covid-19

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

Covid related information 

·        Scottish Government Covid-19 Guidance  

·        NHS Inform Covid data  

·        NHS Inform Covid information and guidance  

·        NHS Highland local vaccination information  

Funding 

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

• Foundation Scotland – GVC Fund

Supports projects that using physical activities to support mental and physical health problems in men. Next deadline: 6 June 2022.

• British Science Association – The Ideas Fund

Offers support to projects promoting diversity, inclusion, and improving mental wellbeing though grants and connecting communities with professionals to work alongside. Next deadline: 8 June 2022.

• The 7stars Foundation

The foundation is awarding grants to organisations with projects aimed at helping enable young people, especially those challenged by abuse, addiction, young carers, those in a transition, or homeless. Next deadline: 31 July 2022.

• FCC Scottish Action Fund

Funds projects which meet community needs and are environmentally friendly, specifically – land reclamation, community recycling, public amenities and parks, biodiversity, or historic buildings. Next deadline: 8 June 2022

Highland Green Health Small Grant Fund 2022    

The Highland Green Health Small Grant fund 2022 will open on Monday the 16^th of May. Applications are invited from community groups within the Highland Council area, for projects up to a value of £1500.  The fund is open until the 13th of June 2022. For more information about Green Health Week and for further details on how to apply for the fund please visit: www.thinkhealththinknature.scot 

Corra Foundation Grants  

Corra’s Henry Duncan Grants are open to organisations supporting children and young people (aged 6-26 years) experiencing inequality. Grassroots organisations with an annual income of £500,000 or less can apply for up to £8,000 a year for up to five years.   

This year Corra is working alongside children and young people to support the design and decision-making processes for Henry Duncan Grants. The theme for this year was developed with children and young people, and two key priority areas were identified:  

·        Organisations that are supporting children and young people to shape their own lives.   

·        Organisations that are supporting children and young people to develop skills for the future.   

More info: https://www.corra.scot/grants/henry-duncan-grants/ 

The closing date for applications is 12pm on Tuesday 5 July 2022. 

Investing in Communities Fund (ICF) Round 2 

Round 2 of the Scottish Government’s Investing in Communities Fund (ICF) is now open for applications. The application process will be delivered through a web-based online funding portal until 2pm on Tuesday 28^th of June 2022. 

ICF supports our most disadvantaged or fragile communities to tackle poverty in all its forms on their own terms – encouraging more joined up collaborative approaches to services and assets to achieve better outcomes for people and communities. 

Please visit the Scottish Government webpage for all information and final guidance regarding ICF Round 2.   

Welfare, poverty reduction and resilience 

• Public defibrillator – registration 
  Many community groups and other organisations have defibrillators available for anyone to use in an emergency – they may be inside a community hall or a shop or perhaps outside allowing 24/7 access.  However, many defibrillators are never used because emergency services don’t know where they are or how to access them. A new website has been set up to allow every defib in the UK to be registered – this site is used by the emergency services to ensure that they can identify the closest defib to someone suffering a cardiac arrest.  

The Circuit – the new national database – will also help you to keep your defib in full working condition by reminding you when pads etc need to be changed.  Registration is simple and can be used by both community and private sector businesses.  Please register at www.thecircuit.uk .  Full information is on their website and by doing this today, you could save a life. 

• Accessing food in Highland from Cfine/FareShare – No Good Food Should Go To Waste 

From June 2022, FareShare will take on the provision of food support to community groups in the Highland Council area requiring help with food supplies for their projects. Contact the FareShare local development officer Michael Sutherland, email Msutherland@cfine.org for details. 

Groups considering using FareShare for the first time can find more details at the following link https://fareshare.org.uk/getting-food/.  Once interest is registered online, the local development officer will contact you to discuss the membership process. 

CFINE operates FareShare Scotland in the North of Scotland, which is part of the FareShare UK network. They take good, in-date surplus from the food industry that would otherwise go to waste and redistribute it to charities and community organisations. They are already in partnership supporting a number of community organisations across Highland. 

• Highland Council Welfare Team – benefits advice 

Mental Health and Wellbeing  

• Supporting the Wellbeing of C&YP 

The Wellbeing Website for Highland has a range of resources and links to support mental health and wellbeing for children, parents, and professionals. It also has information and advice to support practitioners with the Whole School Approach to Mental Health. Many of the resources and supports have been created in Highland and this website pulls them all into one place for ease of access. 

• NHS Highland Mental Wellbeing – a collection of resources and signposts to help people of all ages to look after their own mental wellbeing 

Emergency Planning

• SEPA produce regular reports on water scarcity risk.  Attached is the latest report.  Below is the link to the SEPA website where there is further information https://www.sepa.org.uk/environment/water/water-scarcity/ 
• Met Office Weather Warnings  https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/warnings-and-advice/uk-warnings#?date=2022-06-01
• Met Office Weather Ready https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/warnings-and-advice/weatherready 
• Floodline Scotland https://floodlinescotland.org.uk/ 
• Ready Scotland – preparing for emergencies https://ready.scot/ 

Food support to community groups – new arrangements

Firstly, we would like to thank you and those who work with you for all your efforts – and your continued contributions – to help our communities in the Highlands when it was most needed.

With the changes to covid restrictions, the Highland Council has been reviewing its approach to food distribution across Highland.  This message is to inform the community groups and volunteers who have undertaken a crucial role working with the Council and their partners to provide food and general welfare support to their local communities during the COVID-19 pandemic of some forthcoming changes to the way that food support will be delivered. 

These changes are in line with the removal of Covid restrictions and will allow communities to continue do what they do best, which is support local communities with advice and assistance from the public sector.

What is Changing?

From June 2022, the Council’s current food distribution operation in Highland through a hub network will end; all subsequent requests for food support from community groups should be addressed to our partners, FareShare.  Any community organisations or charities looking for support with food for their projects in the Highland Council area should contact the FareShare local development officer Michael Sutherland at email: Msutherland@cfine.org.

In the North of Scotland, CFINE operates FareShare Scotland which is part of the FareShare UK network. They take good, in-date surplus from the food industry that would otherwise go to waste and distribute it to charities and community organisations for redistribution to those in need. They are already in partnership supporting a number of community organisations across Highland and therefore this new approach builds on their existing role in Highland.

Community groups considering using FareShare for the first time can find more details at the following link https://fareshare.org.uk/getting-food/.  Once interest is registered online, the local development officer will contact you to discuss the membership process.

The Council will continue to work with local groups to support the welfare and sustainability of our communities. We will maintain our existing Ward arrangements to provide local advice and support, and our Welfare Support Team will continue to offer assistance to individuals.

We highly value the links developed with local communities throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic and wish to ensure that we build on these as we move forward.

If you have any further questions, please make direct contact with your local Ward Manager or the Council’s Welfare Support Team, email welfare.support@highland.gov.uk.

Kind regards

Douglas Crawford

On behalf of 

Alison Clark, Head of Community Support and EngagementUnless related to the business of The Highland Council, the views or opinions expressed within this e-mail are those of the sender and do not necessarily reflect those of The Highland Council, or associated bodies, nor does this e-mail form part of any contract unless so stated. 
Mura h-eil na beachdan a tha air an cur an cèill sa phost-d seo a’ buntainn ri gnothachas Chomhairle na Gàidhealtachd, ‘s ann leis an neach fhèin a chuir air falbh e a tha iad, is chan eil iad an-còmhnaidh a’ riochdachadh beachdan na Comhairle, no buidhnean buntainneach, agus chan eil am post-d seo na phàirt de chunnradh sam bith mura h-eil sin air innse.