A POT filled with £126,000 worth of grants is available to charities and groups in the Forth Valley area.

The Forth Valley Covid-19 Partnership has launched a new programme which will see seven grants of up to £15,000 each handed out, with another phase including up to £2,000 and £1,000 sums.

The partnership is between NHS Forth Valley Endowment Fund – better known as Forth Valley Giving and the three Third Sector Interfaces (CVS Falkirk, SVE and CTSI) and both Health and Social Care Partnerships operating in the Forth Valley.

Craig Holden, Forth Valley Giving fundraising manager and local councillor in Clackmannanshire, outlined the importance of this funding.

He commented: “Every night we see pictures on the news of the work in hospitals by staff coping with the daily influx of Covid-19 patients and that has sadly not abated.

"But there is also a recognition that the work out in communities has also been critical by local groups and volunteers.

"This grant programme is designed to help support their work – keeping people active, healthy, supported and safe in their homes until we can see the light at the end of the tunnel of this terrible pandemic."

The programme is open to any registered charity, community interest company, community or voluntary group with a bank account delivering services in the Forth Valley area.

The grants are only open to organisations offering support to the following types of work: support for unpaid carers, people affected by drugs and alcohol, people isolated and lonely, groups helping with wellbeing and mental health community support, suicide prevention and bereavement and end of life support.

For further details, please go to the website of the local TSI in your area or the NHS Forth Valley website to download the application forms, or contact: craig.holden@nhs.scot or Julie.haslam@ctsi.org.uk by email.