Glasgow family projects receive £600k in lottery support

Families in Glasgow are to benefit from over £600,000 of National Lottery funding announced yesterday.

Amongst those to benefit are women and children living in the east of Glasgow who have been affected by domestic abuse. Thanks to an award of £289,000, Glasgow East Women’s Aid Family Development will now be able to work with 100 families providing them with a tailored package of support including one to one and group work sessions. It is hoped that this give more women the increased confidence to move onto future earning and employment opportunities.

Family Development Worker, Eleanor Parris explained: “As a society we have been far too slow to recognise the prevalence and far reaching consequences of violence within the family unit and this grant will help us to help over a hundred families.  The Family Development Service will support women, children and young people to strengthen fragmented relationships, improve family dynamics and build resilience by offering emotional and practical support. 

“The award will also allow us to run a parenting groupwork programme, stress reduction classes and cookery workshops.  Engaging in the various mechanisms of support will help families to develop healthy attachments, increase feelings of safety and reduce isolation, ultimately to empower them to move towards a future free from abuse.’

Meanwhile in the south of the city Govan Home and Education Link will expand its work thanks to a grant of £316,974.  The organisation will now be able to set up a satellite office and offer an expanded range of services to help even more local families who are facing challenging times.  The project will provide a new befriending service for children, expand their family activity and holiday programme and provide more opportunities for parents to volunteer with schools and nurseries in the area.

Joanne Aikten, Project Co-ordinator, said: “We are delighted to have been awarded money from the Big Lottery Fund.  Our charity began in 1996 and since then we have grown steadily and gradually in response to local need.  Our plans for the expansion of our parent volunteer programme and family support services, as well as the development of a new children’s befriending service, is timely and we are immensely grateful to the Fund for helping to make this happen.  Our increased provision will help improve the quality of life of local families who desperately need our support.’

Announcing the funding Big Lottery Fund Scotland Chair, Maureen McGinn, said: “Today we are investing in a better future for many families across Glasgow. Our funding goes to two local community projects which will help families affected by a range of issues including domestic abuse and poverty.  Both of these projects are great examples of activities which make positive and lasting differences to people’s lives and we are proud to support them.”