Charities, good cause groups and community projects from across Edinburgh and the Lothians are invited to apply for a share of £25,000 as part of Scotmid Co-operative’s Community Connect initiative before the extended deadline of 5pm next Friday (6 September). 

A panel of elected members and staff will short-list applications to just three good cause groups, who will then be in line to win the top Community Connect award of £15,000, with the runners-up each receiving £5,000.

Applications are invited from charities in Edinburgh, Fife and the Lothians, that will enhance the quality of life and wellbeing of people living in communities served by a Scotmid store.  Scotmid members will decide how the funding is awarded in April 2020.

Since the initiative was launched in 2017, over £300,000 has been awarded to good cause groups enabling key projects to come to life in local areas.

Applications should be made via the Scotmid website, Scotmid.coop by 5pm on Friday 6 September.

Chief Executive, John Brodie, said: “Our core purpose is to serve our local communities and improve people’s everyday lives and Community Connect helps not only bring communities together but brings projects to life that are at the heart of those communities. We look forward to introducing the next cycle of short-listed groups to our members.”

Blood Bikes Scotland Chairman John Baxter, a previous winner of the top Community Connect award of £15,000 funding, said: “Receiving the £15,000 award through Community Connect made a big difference to what we do and the service we’re able to provide.

“The funding went towards purchasing a new motorbike and helped us to expand our service into Fife, so I would encourage all good cause groups in the East of Scotland to apply for Community Connect – it is a brilliant initiative.”

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John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.