Archives - EVOC

Community Health & Wellbeing: Phase 1 Funding

3 February 2021 By Esther Currie

_{PLEASE NOTE: The funding guidance has been updated including an extension of the timescale.}
_{The funding is anticipated to be for 6 months (April-Sept 21), however we will consider applications for up to a year.}

Applications are now open for phase one of the Community Health & Wellbeing funding programme, which is being administered by EVOC, working closely with partners from City of Edinburgh Council, the NHS and LAYC.

The funding is to support work which is delivered in community settings. Easily accessing supports and services will mean having this in place wherever children, young people and families are going to access it or ask for it – for example within school, within general practice, in youth work or through other community settings.

You must be applying to fund additionality e.g. it cannot be used to fund what you already deliver. However additional capacity for an existing programme of support with high demand is fine.

The funding must be used to:

Support the age range 5-24 (or 26 for care experienced young people)
Target mental and emotional wellbeing and distress
Be aligned to Edinburgh’s GIRFEC framework and support the GIRFEC principles and values.

Funding available:

£5,000 – £15,000 for Locality specific proposals
£5,000 – £25,000 for City-wide proposals

Please submit your proposal form by Mon 1 Mar, 10am: funding@evoc.org.uk

Please read the funding guidance thoroughly before applying and make sure you complete the whole application and answer all the questions.

You will receive confirmation that your application has been received and all applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application by the end of March 2021. A specific date will be provided once panel arrangements have been finalised.

Proposal Form I funding guidance

EVENT: Your Views – Strengthening Scottish Charity Law

15 January 2021 By Esther Currie

We’re inviting you to share your views on proposed changes to charity law in Scotland at a consultation event we’re hosting: Wed 17 Feb, 10am to 12noon.

As part of its engagement with the charity sector the Scottish Government is keen to develop and refine the proposals previously consulted on in 2019. This is one of a series of events led by TSIs across Scotland that will provide those attending with an opportunity to help the Scottish Government formulate a position on the way forward with charity law in Scotland.

There are two main focuses for this session:

A. enhancing transparency and accountability in Scottish charities

B. increased regulatory powers for OSCR

Find out more and register for this event: Your Views – Strengthening Scottish Charity Law

Supporting People in Crisis

6 January 2021 By Esther Currie

We are working with the City of Edinburgh Council, Caring in Craigmillar, Cyrenians, Pilton Equalities Project and Space to deliver food to those who need it. The City of Edinburgh Council is following a cash first principle in terms of supporting those in crisis, and this has currently kept demand very low. We are aware that this could change very quickly given a new lockdown and the programme will evolve according to need. (You can read an overview of this approach from the City of Edinburgh Council below.)

If you are aware of people in crisis please encourage them to call 0131 200 2388, or apply online.

This short term crisis work does not replace plans to bring organisations together across Edinburgh to develop a partnership approach to addressing food insecurity in the longer term, particularly in light of the Edinburgh Poverty Commission’s call to action.

“City of Edinburgh Council, EVOC and local organisations must continue to fund, co-ordinate and operate services to provide quality fresh food to citizens who experience food insecurity, avoiding a return to reliance on food banks. Our call to improve income security is key to replacing the need for food provision, combined with action to develop place-based approaches to bring together healthy eating, sustainability and community development.”

You can also read our most recent blog by Roisin Hurst (Development Worker) which reflects on 2020 and COVID-19 Food Fund Project.

City of Edinburgh Council and EVOC Partnership Approach: Support for Citizens
As a result of Scottish Government funding the City of Edinburgh Council has recommenced a range of activities to support people facing financial hardship over the winter months. The Scottish Government has again emphasised the principles of choice and a cash-first approach, and this approach is endorsed by the Council.

Similar to earlier initiatives, requests for support will be coordinated through the Council’s Contact Centre (0131 200 2388) to establish whether direct financial support is available e.g. Isolation Grant, Crisis Grant, compensatory payments for the loss of Free School Meals etc. Citizens will also be signposted to alternative areas of support to address additional issues they may be experiencing to offer a holistic and tailored solution to service users.

Where direct financial support is not available, or not required, arrangements have been put in place to support a network of food deliveries across the city. The Council worked successfully with EVOC, supported by local partners, throughout the first months of the pandemic to deliver food packages across the city. Building on this experience, a targeted food delivery service has now restarted for those in need of support.

Given direct financial support is available the predicted level of food deliveries is expected to be lower than at the start of the pandemic. As a result, the system has been streamlined, and the Council will be working with EVOC and key hub organisations. Food deliveries will be made for up to 2 weeks, and citizens will be asked to make contact again if further support is required. These are challenging times and there are many changes ahead, including Brexit, and while there is no broader funding for food provision across the city at this time, the funding allocation will be kept under review.

Any individual identified as in need of support due to hardship, should be referred to the Council’s Vulnerable Support Line on 0131 200 2388 or the Scottish Welfare Fund on 0131 529 5299.

Introducing Our New Chief Executive

3 December 2020 By Esther Currie

We are delighted to announce that Bridie Ashrowan will be stepping into the role of Chief Executive at the end of March 2021, when Ella Simpson retires after leading EVOC for more than twelve years.

Bridie has over thirty years’ experience in the community sector, having worked in start-ups, social enterprise and business, including her most recent position as Chief Executive at Space & Broomhouse Hub. In fact, she successfully headed the £3.2 million capital investment programme to open the Hub – a local community development trust in an area that has some of the highest child and in-work poverty in Scotland – towards the end of 2019.

Bridie commented:
‘I am delighted to have the opportunity to lead EVOC and to take up the reins from Ella Simpson. Across the communities of Edinburgh, there will be many who will face hugely challenging circumstances. I look forward to working with partners, this talented team and the folk of Edinburgh in building a future together that we can be proud of.’

Ella Simpson (Current Chief Executive) said:
‘I’ve had the most amazing time working for EVOC. It has been an absolute privilege to work with such an incredible team and dedicated Board. It’s in our DNA to work WITH people, partners and all our stakeholders and I know that Bridie will build on that strong heritage. It would always have been bitter sweet to leave EVOC and this has been a particularly difficult year for everyone. However, I know the strength and courage of EVOC and our sector and I’m convinced that with Bridie’s leadership and the dedication of the EVOC team, peoples’ voices and the sectors’ value will be heard and understood.’

Earlier this year EVOC committed to a three-year strategic plan, informed by their deep understanding of the practice, priorities and pressures in communities, the voluntary sector and the public sector and Bridie’s extensive experience will ensure she can steer the organisation to the successful delivery of that strategy through the ongoing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

Jan-Bert van den Berg (EVOC Chair) commented:
‘I am looking forward to working with Bridie on the many challenges that communities and voluntary organisations in Edinburgh face over the coming years. She, our depute CEO Ian Brooke, and our amazing staff will make a formidable team and provide the best possible leadership, advocacy and support to the sector over the coming years. Although Ella won’t leave her post until the end of March 2021 I would like to thank her for leading EVOC with so much energy, dedication and skill over the last 12 years.’

Bridie will officially take up the role of Chief Executive for EVOC at the end of March, but will be doing a phased handover with Ella in the coming weeks and months, as the organisation continues to be a leader and catalyst of social change to support inclusive communities, working with the voluntary sector.

Re-focusing the Older People’s Service Providers’ Forum

1 December 2020 By Esther Currie

We are reviewing the direction of the Older People’s Service Providers’ Forum, to refocus the group and ensure that ALL service providers across the City are represented. We really want to identify our shared priorities and key actions for the year ahead, so are running two facilitated sessions to bring as many service providers together as we can.

SESSION 1: Thu 14 Jan, 2pm – 4pm

Why we do the work we do?
What are the challenges we face in our work?
How do we tackle these?

SESSION 2: Tue 26 Jan, 2pm – 4pm

Our aspirations for the forum & how we get there
What our priorities should be
Agree set of actions

We are keen to ensure a broad range of older peoples’ service providers are involved in these sessions so we can take this opportunity to shape the future direction of the Forum.

To register for the sessions please get in touch: roisin.hurst@evoc.org.uk

Attendance at both sessions is requested, but if you are unable to attend please get in touch to discuss how you might still contribute to this process.

TSI Network Scotland launches Manifesto for Change

25 November 2020 By Esther Currie

If the pandemic has shown us anything as a nation – our neighbourhoods and communities are alive and kicking with third sector organisations and volunteers ready to respond and step up in a crisis. That is the view of the Third Sector Interface (TSI) Scotland Network who have launched their first ever Manifesto for Change as a Network ahead of the 2021 elections.

TSI Manifesto For Change 2020

There are 32 TSIs in Scotland one for each local authority areas and they cover strands of work – supporting volunteering, charities and community groups and social enterprises. In the majority of local authorities, they combine all the functions of the TSIs’ work under one roof and in larger urban and geographic areas they are partnerships. As well as working to support their sector they collaborate and represent the sector with partners in councils, business community and health and social care partnerships across Scotland. They are in the enviable position of having a foot in many corners of our daily lives – and yet they are often not recognised for the work they undertake – until now.

The TSI Scotland Network organisations have often had much variance in their roles locally but Covid-19 has brought them closer together as they all sought to implement emergency supports: coordinate lifeline responses, funnel funding and place hundreds of volunteers to local roles. Now their leaders share an aspiration to find new ways to create a fairer future for Scotland. They have set out an inspiring agenda for change that puts the emphasis and call for resources and investment, to move with more pace to communities and grass-roots organisations. They are seeking to gain further investment to ensure each community has a community organisation or partnership of organisations with the capacity, opportunities and skills to meet the local needs.

Ella Simpson our Chief Executive is among the leaders involved in developing this manifesto, “Community-led organisations and volunteers responded to COVID-19 magnificently, helping to mitigate the worst effects of lockdown. As we move forward we need to capture the spirit of that and use it to build a fairer future”.

The Network is also asking to be connected in to more of the Scottish Government directorates so they can help inform and shape the right policies for communities – helping to ensure that better coordination and funding gets to the people who need it most. As they were the organisations who took the lead role in placing volunteers through Covid-19 and maximising the community responses – they rightly are asking for the investment for that to continue. They are also looking to link and support new employability programmes to community wealth-building and the third sector in better ways in the future.

The TSI Scotland Network recognises that national third sector organisations have a role to play – but they are adding that if we really want to protect our communities and the people in them and tackle inequalities – then action and change is needed. These proposal in essence also push for a shift of power away from statutory government promoting greater devolution and decision-making, community empowerment and participatory budgeting, enable citizenship and voices to be heard, to allow communities to make the choices and decisions they want.

The Network leaders see this is a cliff-hanging moment where more investment in the right parts of our country’s fabric could have overwhelming benefits and protect the most vulnerable. What the TSI Scotland Network has never done before – is say this collectively, with assurance and knowledge, learnt through the tough moments of the last few months and with a confidence that they can play a singular and lasting role in achieving this.

People, Places & Possibilities Conference

10 November 2020 By Esther Currie

People, Places & Possibilities is a joint conference we’re delivering in partnership with our friends at GCVS. We share experiences and lessons-learnt from the last six months of COVID-19, but more importantly looking forward to the role the voluntary sector can play in the recovery of our citizens, communities and cities.

Browse the full conference programme for full details of the events and speakers

With 1 ticket you can access all 14 events on offer, but feel free to dip in and out to suit your interests and no doubt busy schedules…

Mon 23 Nov, 9.30am – 10.30am
COVID & the Third Sector: The impact of COVID, the response from the third sector and what the future holds. Dr John Harden (Deputy National Clinical Director), Ella Simpson (Chief Executive, EVOC), Chaired by Ian Bruce (Chief Executive, GCVS)

Mon 23 Nov, 12noon – 12.45pm: SallyAnn Kelly (CEO, Aberlour Trust) in conversation with Louise Hunter (currently CEO, Visibility Scotland and soon to be CEO, Who Cares Scotland).

Mon 23 Nov, 2pm – 3pm: HR in the Time of COVID with Natasha Gordon (GCVS) OR

Mon 23 Nov, 2pm – 3pm: Finance and Audit with Euan Morrison (Chiene + Tait)

Tue 24 Nov, 9.30am – 10.30am
Challenging Poverty & Inequality: The Chairs of GCVS and EVOC discuss the challenge of poverty in our cities and why the two organisations see it as a key strategic priority. Shona Stephen (Queens Cross Housing Association), Jan-Bert van den Berg (Director, Artlink Edinburgh & Lothians), Chaired by Ella Simpson (Chief Executive, EVOC)

Tue 24 Nov, 12noon – 12.45pm
Jim McCormick (Chief Executive, The Robertson Trust) will share his reflections on the last six months, poverty in Scotland and the role of funders in a conversation with Michaela Collins (Chief Executive, PEEK).

Mon 23 Nov, 2pm – 3pm: HR in the Time of COVID with Natasha Gordon (GCVS) OR

Mon 23 Nov, 2pm – 3pm: Fundraising Approaches for a COVID Context with Susan Robinson (GCVS)

Wed 25 Nov, 9.30am – 10.30am: GCVS – Better Relationships Better Outcomes

Wed 25 Nov, 9.30am – 10.30am: EVOC – Build Back Better

Wed 25 Nov, 12noon – 12.45pm :

Neil Ritch (The National Lottery Community Fund’s Director for Scotland) will share reflections as a funder on the last six months of COVID, and his thoughts on what it might mean for funders and grant-giving in the future in a conversation with and Bridie Ashrowan (CEO, Space and Broomhouse Hub).

Wed 25 Nov, 2pm – 3pm: Governance Hotspots with Steff Bell (EVOC), Tracey Bird (SCVO) & Paula Meise (OSCR)

Wed, 2pm – 3pm: Fundraising Approaches for a COVID Context with Susan Robinson (GCVS)

Thu 26 Nov: 9.30am – 10.30am
Health Inequalities & the Role of Communities: This session will look at the health inequalities people face and the role of communities and the third sector in addressing these with John O’Dowd (Clinical Director, Glasgow City HSCP) , Professor Alison McCallum (Centre for Population Health Sciences, University of Edinburgh), Chaired by Claire Stevens (Chief Executive, Voluntary Health Scotland)

Thu 26 Nov, 12noon – 12.45pm
Annie Gunnar Logan (Chief Executive, Coalition of Care Providers Scotland) will reflect on the challenges for social care during COVID and what we should do to better to meet the needs of people going forward, in a conversation with Ewan Aitken (CEO, Cyrenians).

Thu 26 Nov, 2pm – 3pm: Collaborations & Mergers Robin Fallas (MacRoberts Solicitors)

Thu 26 Nov, 2pm – 3pm: Finance in a COVID World with Jennifer Alexander (Azets)

Fri 27 Nov Nov: 9.30am – 10.30am
View from City Chambers: The Leaders of the two city councils will discuss the importance of place based approaches, and how this can best be delivered through devolving power and responsibility. Cllr Adam McVey (City of Edinburgh Council), Cllr Susan Aitken (Glasgow City Council), Chaired by Angus Hardie (Director, Scottish Community Alliance).

Fri 27 Nov, 12noon – 12.45pm
Diarmaid Lawler (Associate Director for Place, Futures Trust) will reflect on the strength of communities, what makes a happy, healthy places to live and how we can all nurture a positive environment in a conversation with Martin Avila (Director, Kinning Park Complex).

Tickets: £15 earlybird / £20 standard

There are a limited amount of FREE tickets available to support organisations experiencing financial difficulty. To check whether you qualify for a free ticket please get in touch: information@gcvs.org.uk

Sector Update: November 2020

9 November 2020 By Esther Currie

Hello Everyone,

Now is when we really will be tested. We’re hurling towards our usual Scottish dark morning and evening winter without the anticipation of (not to mention the hard graft of) a full programme of special events for people who normally come through our doors – Halloween, Guy Fawkes, Armistice Day, Diwali, Bodhi, Hanukkah and Christmas are all very different affairs this year. So it’s even more important we celebrate what we can, how we can.

People Place Possibilities is a series of events running week beginning 23rd November which we are holding in partnership with our sister organisation GVCS. We have a fantastic line up of speakers, seminars and challenging discussions to help us consider what the future could be like, what power we have to shape it and how we can work together to make that future a reality. Please join us – meet old friends and make new ones.

Over the next few months we will be working with the Third Sector Strategy Group to draw together the themes and agree actions from the series of Round Table events we are in the midst of. Again please join us.

It’s important that we explore what we want for our communities, but it’s even more important that we work together to make those ambitions real. At one of the recent Round Table events Peter Carruthers (SEAG) put it very succinctly: “If we as third sector leaders focus on the following actions, we will achieve improved partnerships will all the key stakeholders for the benefit of our communities.
Agree + Plan + Present = Consolidated Partnerships.”
I can’t think of a better ambition to work on during the dark evenings of winter.

As always, take care of yourself and each other and please stay in touch

Ella Simpson

Chief Executive, EVOC

ACTIVE TRAVEL SURVEYS
We’ve created 3 different surveys to gauge levels of support for active travel (walking, cycling at least part of your journey) within the voluntary sector, thanks to funding from Paths for All. We also want to understand the best ways to support voluntary organisations to promote active travel to their staff, volunteers and service users.

– Staff and volunteers travel survey
– Service user travel survey
– Management travel survey

Your answers will help identify barriers and opportunities to more sustainable travel practices within Edinburgh’s voluntary sector. They’ll be anonymised, but we’ll share any valuable insights.

Find out more

BUILD BACK BETTER
We’ve now finalised details of our final Round Table Event for 2020 – delivered in partnership with the Third Sector Strategy Group (TSSG) – and hope you will join us.

Build Back Better I Wed 25 Nov, 9.30am to 11am
In the final Round Table event of this series we hope to challenge politicians and decision makers to work with us to make the changes that together, we have decided are necessary. Councillor Cammy Day (Edinburgh Council Coalition Leader & Labour group leader. Councillor for Edinburgh Forth Ward) and Angus McCann (Chair – Edinburgh Integration Joint Board) will be joining us for this session.
Book a place

EDINBURGH RECOVERY ACTIVITIES
Since the closure of Serenity Café – the first recovery café in Scotland – Edinburgh Recovery Activities (ERA) has been working tirelessly to support the recovery community, promoting connection and providing a range of activities and events in safe spaces across the city. ERA is an interim project currently funded by Edinburgh Alcohol and Drug Partnership (EADP) and directly supported by EVOC. We have a long-term goal of establishing a new recovery centre in the city and hope that the project will be able to open a city centre recovery centre offering not only further activities and peer support, but also a safe place for peers to thrive. The contract procurement process has now opened to continue the development of this project and there is a deadline of Mon 16 Nov.

EVOC MEMBER BENEFITS
The cost of an EVOC annual membership depends on your organisation’s income (see below). There’s lots of benefits, including 10% off all of our training, benefiting from our partnership with Law at Work and exclusive member-only events and opportunities – so it’s definitely worth considering.

FREE membership (income is less that £25,000)
£35 (income between £25,000 and £500,000)
£55 (income more than £500,000)

Find out more

EVOC NOTICEBOARD & SLACK
If you’ve got some news, a job vacancy, training course or event that you’d like to share, there’s a couple of ways we can help:

Submit something to our website Noticeboard
Share it on our Slack channel

EVOC RED BOOK DIRECTORY
There are currently over 330 COVID safe services and activities provided by voluntary organisations across the city to meet local needs and overcome adversity during the current restrictions.

Please view your entry HERE and check to see if it is up to date and share.

EVOC SMALL GRANTS FUND
Thanks to Foundation Scotland we’ve got a pot of funding available to charities and community organisations across Edinburgh.

If your organisation/project supports people living with poor, interrupted or impaired access to food, shelter and necessary amenities (like sanitation and heat) then you can apply for an EVOC Small Grant. We really want to support organisations who seldom receive funding and you don’t need a constitution, set or rules or event a bank account to apply.

Grant amounts: £1,500 – £2,000 or £100 and £1,500
Application Deadline: Fri 23 Nov, 5pm

More details & how to apply

FACE COVERINGS EXEMPTIONS
The Scottish Government has produced a face covering exemption card, to support those who are unable to wear one to feel more confident and safe when accessing public spaces and using public services.

A physical card can be requested from Disability Equality Scotland to wear on a lanyard or hold in a wallet, while a digital card is also available to be displayed on a phone, tablet or other device.

Request a card or call the free helpline no. 0800 121 6240

FORUMS & NETWORKS
Keeping connected is hugely important with so many of us still working remotely. To get involved with any of the Forums and Networks below, please contact the Forum Lead.

Older People’s Forum		Roisin Hurst
Substance Use Network Edinburgh		Maria Arnold
Edinburgh Mental Health Forum		Christina Hinds
Edinburgh Disabilities Forum		Hugo Whitaker
Children, Young People, & Families Forum		Katherine Anderson
Voluntary Sector Forums – across Edinburgh’s localities		Kate Barrett
Voluntary Sector Carers Forum		Maria Arnold

You can also sign up to the EVOC Slack Channel to connect to our online community and share information and ideas.

KICKSTART JOB SCHEME
If you’re looking to access the government’s £2billion Kickstart Schem e to create a 100% funded job, or jobs, for 16-24yrs olds out of work then SCVO is able to act as a representative and can offer support with your application submission (Third Sector organisations only).

The roles you are creating should:

Be for a minimum of 25 hours per week, for 6 months
Be paid at least the National Minimum Wage for their age group
Not require people to undertake extensive training before they begin the job placement
Help the participants to develop their skills and experience in number of areas including basic employment skills

Find out more

TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES

How to do Appraisals Well, Especially in 2020 I Mon 9 Nov, 10am – 1pm
EVOC Members £63, Voluntary Organisations £70, Private/Statutory £80
Book a place
Fundraising Nuts & Bolts I Mon 16 Nov, 3.30pm – 5pm
Voluntary Organisations £10
Book a place
Effective Minute Taking I Wed 25 Nov, 9.30am – 12.30pm
EVOC Members £63, Voluntary Organisations £70, Private/Statutory £80
Book a place

Even more training opportunities

TRUSTEES WEEK 2020
It’s a real privilege to be celebrating the people who give of their time, expertise and energy to support the work of charities across Edinburgh (and Scotland) alongside organisations from across the UK.

During this week of events and activities we sat down for a chat with Mairi Norman from North East Edinburgh Counselling Service to hear about the role her Trustees play and with Carole Maccartney to find out more about her Trustee experiences with MS Therapy Centre Lothian.

USEFUL HEALTH INFO
As always we appreciate you reminding the people and communities you work with of some of the simple ways that they can stay safe and healthy this winter:

Flu vaccine info is available in a number of languages
NHS inform has lots of useful pointers including how to register with a GP

Community Spaces in Edinburgh Directory

9 November 2020 By Tessa Williams

We’re continuing to gather information on currently available community spaces in Edinburgh. View the Community Spaces Directory here.

This resource can be used to facilitate links with available indoor community venues for local clubs, projects and services for all ages. For example, groups that have previously hired space in a local community centre that is currently closed, may consider temporarily resuming services in a nearby facility. By gathering this information we hope to create an open resource to encourage links between community services and local community venues.

If you would like to add information about a venue to the directory: please complete a short survey here https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/DPQT8RG

We do not intend to collect specific details of booking rates or the full range of spaces your venue may have available – rather some general information about the venue and its availability. By gathering this information we hope to create an open resource to encourage links between community services and local community venues. It is the responsibility of the venue and hirer to be COVID safe.

The Experiences of a Voluntary Sector Trustee

5 November 2020 By Esther Currie

As we continue to put a focus on the invaluable work of voluntary Trustees Carole Maccartney, Chair for MS Therapy Centre Lothian, shared some of her experiences as a Trustee with us.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and the organisation where you volunteer as a Trustee?
My name is Carole Macartney and I volunteer as a Trustee in the role of Chair for the MS Therapy Centre Lothian. MS Therapy Centre Lothian was established about 35 years ago and was originally set up to support people living with MS. Over the years we’ve developed our offering and now provide a range of services, advice and support to people with a variety of long-term health conditions – empowering them to self-manage their decisions and lives. And we support people living across Lothian, down into the Borders and across the water in Fife.

What inspired you to get involved with the MS Therapy Centre Lothian?
I was diagnosed with MS in 1993 and started attending the Centre as a service user in 2005. I could therefore really understand the benefits that attending the Centre offered and felt that volunteering as a Trustee was something I could contribute. I’m very keen on self-management and taking control of my life and not feeling defined by my condition and wanted to support other people to do the same. I have a background in law and spent a number of years working in the NHS in an HR capacity so I also had some specific skills and experience to offer.

Can you tell us some of the highlights during your time as a Trustee for MS Therapy Lothian?
I think the way that the charity has evolved and developed is a real highlight for me. Back when I started attending as a service user, I was very much aware the Centre was a small-scale charity that relied on fundraising from events like jumble sales, people doing sponsored activities and selling their arts and crafts. When I see how far we’ve come and that now we’re able to ‘punch above our weight’ in terms of what we deliver and the support we offer – I am proud to have contributed to that change in various Trustee roles off and on over the last 11 years. The Staff and Board of the Centre help to make such a difference in peoples’ lives, supporting them in the bad times and offering a welcoming community space for people to come together. We have also survived the COVID storm and been there for our service users when they needed us most, setting up online services, making sure there was someone to talk to at the other end of a phone and re-opening when restrictions permitted with a COVID-safe model of services and support.

What would you say to someone who was considering volunteering as a Trustee?
Being a Trustee is an opportunity like no other. You get the chance to meet so many different people, make great contacts, learn new skills and if you’re willing to get your sleeves up and get stuck in you can really make a significant difference to the organisation you volunteer for and the people they support. I would also say that all charities need committed, enthusiastic and passionate Trustees. From young people just starting out, to older people with a wider experience base, to those with lived experiences of the support offered – a diversity of people helps to bring a good balance to a charity’s Board. Since the start of lockdown we’ve appointed 3 new Trustees one with lived experience, one who’s originally from Spain and another who got involved through the Furlonteer programme – connecting people on furlough with remote volunteer opportunities – and I look forward to continuing working with them, and the rest of the board, as we continue to support and develop the MS Therapy Centre Lothian.