Scottish Charity Awards 2017 – we’re finalists!

We’ve been chosen as a finalist for this year’s Scottish Charity Awards. Our “Living Well on a Budget” project has won us a place in the Celebrating Communities category, and you can help us to win by voting for us!

Our ‘Living Well on a Budget’ project aimed to tackle poverty and mitigate the impacts of welfare reform for those living in low income households in Fife. Funded by the Scottish Government’s People and Communities Fund, we worked with Fife Community Food Project, Citizen’s Advice & Rights Fife, St Andrews Environmental Network, Fife Housing Association Alliance and Fife Council’s Housing & Neighbourhood Services, to help participants manage household budgets, including reducing energy and food spending.

• The project reached 1,318 people – making a real impact on their budgets and well-being
• 550 households had home energy advice visits
• 185 people received a benefit/tax credit check
• 110 participants were referred on to other services like employability support
• 67 people joined ‘Living Well on a budget’ courses covering basic food skills and household financial management.
• Overall, people receiving energy advice through the project saved £111,475.

Organised by Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), the Awards, which are free to enter, celebrate the life-changing work of charities, community groups and individuals dedicated to making Scotland a better place to live.

All shortlisted entries also compete for the People’s Choice Award which will be decided by the public via online voting. You can help us win by voting for us. The deadline for voting is Friday 26th May 2017.

Our ‘Living Well on a Budget’ project has been the result of hard work, commitment, and enthusiasm, and has made some real changes to improve people’s lives in Fife. Collaboration between partners and project staff has been particularly successful, and the learning and skills participants have developed the confidence to access food they choose to eat and enjoy, the increased ability to cook it affordably, the opportunity to meet new people and a chance to increase their knowledge. Your vote would help Greener Kirkcaldy empower the community to keep empowering others!