Dores and Essich Community

Community Resilience Briefing 13-01-23

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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. 

Covid, Colds, and Flu related information 

Funding  

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

  • The Albert Hunt TrustSupports organisations providing hospice care, homeless support, promoting health and wellbeing. Areas of support have included physical and learning disabilities, physical and mental health, social challenged, and deprivation. Applications are reviewed on a rolling monthly basis.
  • Schroder Charity TrustSupports a broad range of charitable causes under categories such as arts, culture, education, training, environment, and health and wellbeing. Applications are reviewed twice a year.
  • The Wiseman Family Charitable Trust 
    Supports all manner of charitable activities. applications can be made at any time by writing to the Trust.  

Circular Communities Scotland – Pockets and Prospects 2023
Applicants can apply for up to £1,000 for projects supporting people and communities in areas of socio-economic disadvantage.

Scotmid Community Orchard FundScotmid are seeking a group near each of its stores to plant five or more fruit trees or bushes within a community space. They will award up to £200 to each successful applicant to fund the purchase of plants. Deadline for applications 20th January 2023.

Welfare, poverty reduction and resilience

  • NHS Highland Health Improvement Training– Attached is information about a wide range of courses for partners to attend free of charge. Most courses are short and available over Teams. Topics include – Mental Health and Wellbeing, Health inequalities and Poverty, and Alcohol Intervention.
  • Food Activity Map – The Highland Good Food Partnership, in conjunction with HTSI, have developed and launched a map of Highland community food growing projects.  This map helps build a picture of all the fantastic community food growing projects which are developing across the region and enables improved links and support between groups. 

To ensure that this map is up-to-date and that it includes all growing projects that are established or in development/planning across Highland, please check if your community enterprise is on the map.  If it isn’t, please complete the survey to ensure we know about the great work happening within your community. 

Projects of all sizes can be included; from those growing in raised beds for a social activity, groups providing community food larder/fridge projects up to large-scale gardens trying to improve community resilience and reduce food miles. 

  • CyberScotland – Included in the January 2023 bulletin:
    • New funded cyber essentials Programme for micro or small charities handling personal data. 
    • The latest threat report, scam warnings, and data breaches
  • 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.

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.
  • 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 

 Community Council Election

Below are the eight community councils requiring interim elections and the number of vacancies to be filled.

  • Conon Bridge Community Council (6)
  • Cradlehall and Westhill Community Council (7)
  • Creich Community Council (5)
  • Glencoe and Glen Etive Community Council (5)
  • Kinlochleven Community Council (5)
  • Minginish Community Council (8)
  • Strathdearn Community Council (6)
  • Tarbat Community Council (4)

A Nomination Form can be obtained via:

Completed nomination forms must be submitted to the appropriate Ward Manager and must be received not later than 12noon on Tuesday 31 January 2023. Copies of the form may also be received electronically as long as they have been completed correctly and contains both the signature of   the candidate and witness.

If any of the 8 Community Councils receive valid nominations by the deadline that exceeds its membership number, an election will take place on Thursday 2 March 2023 via postal ballot.

More information can be found from the press release or our website.  

Douglas Crawford
Business Analyst

Community Support and Engagement

Highland Council