The Edinburgh Integration Joint Board has proposed cuts to their Grants Funding which would severely impact local charities.
The proposals which were announced at 4.00pm on Friday 25 October 2024, less than a week before the decision is due to be made, not only recommend ceasing the 2025/26 grants programme but also to bring forward the scheduled end date of the existing grants programme by two months, taking the charities supported by surprise. It has lead to local groups mobilising to reduce the impact with the Health Agency already cancelling their Halloween Community Lunch Extravaganza due to take place this Thursday.
The Joint Board is funded in partnership between the City of Edinburgh Council and NHS Scotland, and the organisations supported by the funding support over 55,000 people in Edinburgh.
You can read the full list of charities impacted in the proposal documents but local groups that receive funding which would be impacted include:
- The Health Agency – The Health Agency is an organisation that aims to promote and develop a community led approach to health improvement in an area that experiences a high level of social and economic deprivation.
- The Dove Centre – The Dove Centre is a social day centre whose aims are to help older people remain as independent as they can be through a variety of socially inclusive activities, learning, volunteering, fresh meals and fully accessible transport.
- The Broomhouse Centre – The Beacon Club Project – We are seeking funding to develop The Beacon Club: our services for older people with dementia in South West Edinburgh which prevents this long-term condition affecting their quality of life in old age.
- CHAI – Income Maximisation Welfare and Debt Advice
- Art In Healthcare – Room for Art – Room For Art is a series of visual arts workshops delivered by artists throughout Edinburgh using an ‘art on prescription’ approach and an occupational therapy supported model of 1:1s to support self-management. Participants will be referred by professionals in statutory and third sectors working in partnership with Art in Healthcare.
- Community One Stop Shop – The project will deliver our existing project and ancillary services. We provide advice and advocacy for clients living in poverty and challenging circumstances within the Broomhouse and South West area. Continued provision of our Food Bank and support services, and our outreach services. We currently receive two smalls grants but as suggested have amalgamated them both for the purpose of this application for the first time.
- Home-Start Edinburgh West and South West (HSEW) – Access to family learning from a perinatal stage provides opportunities for parents/carers to gain confidence in their role and has a positive impact on mental health and children’s learning outcomes/resilience. Promotion of attachment is offered through Baby Massage and Peep. Home-based support is available where required.
- Vintage Vibes Consortium – A city-wide project to tackle isolation in Edinburgh’s loneliest over 60s through creating long term, locally based one-to-one friendships based on shared interests. This is a Vintage Vibes Consortium application for 2.5 Service Coordinators for 3-year period. The Consortium is a partnership between LifeCare and The Broomhouse Centre.
- B Healthy together – Supporting Healthier Lifestyles – To improve physical and mental health and wellbeing in SW Edinburgh, a recognised area of deprivation, we will deliver a programme of volunteering, healthy eating and exercise services. Our comprehensive package of support will also help vulnerable people overcome barriers to effective parenting, build positive relationships and develop resilience
The Health Agency has put a call to action on their website with links to a petition as well as a template letter to the Council you can download and sign. Speaking of the petition the Health Agency said:
Last Friday the EIJB released a report proposing to disinvest from 64 charities across Edinburgh, this is our core funding and it’s loss would have a devastating impact on our services. The Health Agency acts as a lifeline to many in Wester Hailes and the surrounding Edinburgh South West area. Cutting these services would have a colossal impact on the physical, mental and emotional health and wellbeing of the clients we support in this disadvantaged area. Please give your support to The Health Agency to help us make a case to the EIJB to reverse the decision to cut this funding.
The Edinburgh Integration Joint Board meets on Friday 1 November at 10am in the Dean of Guilds Room at the City Chambers where they will vote on the proposals.
