Orkney projects awarded share of £1.5m anti-poverty fund

Two projects being run by local charity Voluntary Action Orkney (VAO) have been awarded a share of a £1.5 million fund set up to tackle poverty.

The first of VAO’s projects is to be given £8,688 and another project to see £247,187. The projects will see actions taken such as community engagements, co-producing solutions and extending the reach of VOA’s Extending Wellbeing in Our Islands Communities (EWIOIC) project.

The money has been split between projects across the Highlands and Islands area through The Aspiring Communities Fund, which levers in European Social Funds, was launched by the Scottish Government in 2017 to help reduce poverty and enable inclusive growth in disadvantaged and fragile communities across Scotland.

The funding was approved shortly before the COVID-19 lockdown and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) is now working with groups leading the projects to help ensure delivery of the benefits in the context of the pandemic.

The Scottish Government’s communities secretary Aileen Campbell said: “The Scottish Government wants to create a fairer and more equal Scotland and we know that local communities understand best where funding can make a difference in their own areas.

“The Aspiring Communities funding will support organisations to deliver tangible, innovative approaches to tackle poverty and inequality based on local need and priorities.

“I’m confident that each of these great projects will support people to tackle the disadvantages they face and have a long-lasting, positive impact on people’s lives and the communities they live in – many of which have been impacted by the non-health harms caused by Covid-19.”

Douglas Cowan, HIE’s director of communities and place, said: “It’s great to see more projects in the Highlands and Islands receiving support from the Aspiring Communities Fund. The fund supports community organisations to develop relevant services to address local circumstances and needs.

“It is designed to empower and strengthen community resilience, sustainability and quality of life by supporting valuable local initiatives that tackle poverty and social inclusion.

“The COVID-19 lockdown has presented news challenges for everyone and we are working with the community organisations leading the projects to help ensure they can progress in the context of the pandemic.”