Five years of the Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund has brought over £400,000 in to Orkney, and projects have taken place right across every part of the county. Supporting arts projects, lunch clubs, community gardening, gentle sport and movement for older people, counselling services, accessible transport, pamper sessions, small scale capital projects to improve venues and community spaces, Men’s Sheds, craft workshops and many other innovative activities and programmes - the fund has made a real difference to individuals and communities across Orkney.
In 2021 the Third Sector Interface organisations across Scotland were asked to manage a one off fund to support community wellbeing and try to counter the isolation that people and communities were experiencing because of Covid-19 and the lockdowns which were instituted to counter the pandemic. There was a recognition that whilst lockdowns were helping to reduce the spread of Covid they had their own very negative impacts on mental health and wellbeing. The cost of living crisis came close on the heels of Covid and what was originally planned as a one-off fund aimed at grass roots, small scale community groups who could directly benefit local residents, was expanded and continued. The impact of the fund was significant and enabled the Scottish Government to support the people that knew how their communities worked, and to support local interventions that would make a big difference.
The most recent round of funding is currently delivering a fresh set of projects up until the end of February 2027. A total of 22 projects are underway. VAO will share info about events and activities the projects are holding on our Facebook page, but also look out for info about events in your local area throughout the year. From Development Trusts to Community Associations there are activities taking place the length and breadth of the county. As part of the Scottish Government’s Fairer Funding Pilot, a majority of these projects have been funded for two years which we are hoping will give them more time to deliver the projects rather than having to find time to make fresh applications in the autumn for the second year. There will still be a small amount of funding available to apply for, for groups who want to undertake projects from 1 March 2027 and we will announce the details of the next round later in the year.
Clare Gee, Development Senior Manager at Voluntary Action Orkney said:
Whilst the fund is small – we usually have only £75,000 per year to disburse – the amount of activity and the range of projects that have taken place in Orkney through support from the Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund is really worth celebrating.
Thank you to all our organisations who have delivered projects over the past few years, and every good wish to those delivering funded projects this year. All your efforts are helping support our individuals and communities to maintain and improve their mental health and wellbeing even though Covid is now, thankfully, in our past.
