A charity that aims to help people impacted by drug use has been handed a cash boost to continue its valuable work.
The Scheme Livi was founded by Aidan Martin and Mark Deans, from Livingston, and recently received an amazing £60,000 from The Robertson Trust.
The cash will be used to launch a filmmaking project for clients.
The Scheme will run a series of weekly creative workshops and drop-in sessions at West Lothian College from next month, along with outreach and partnership work.
It also organises creative group workshops which will be available to people residing in West Lothian impacted by drug use and all other variables such as mental
health, trauma, social deprivation/isolation.
Aidan explained: “When The Scheme Livi was formed the first thing we agreed on was that the service had to be free to use.
“It was also created with the belief that intergenerational trauma was a very real problem in Scotland.
“Intertwined with this is the drugs-related deaths crisis and mental health crisis.
“We are delighted to confirm our award of £60,000 from The Robertson Trust, which will be received over three years.”
Aidan continued: “Our values align with the mission of The Robertson Trust in tackling poverty and trauma.
“At a time of a cost-of-living crisis, this funding will allow us to offer creative workshops free of charge to those who need it most.
“With this, they will get the chance to participate in activities like filmmaking with Bafta award-winning filmmakers and get the chance to have their work displayed in art exhibitions.
“With this funding we can give people some relief from these ongoing struggles and an opportunity to partake in creative experiences they otherwise might not have had.
“The funding will allow us to offer people a chance at togetherness, unity and creativity, in a safe space, with like-minded people, providing healthy coping tools as well as memorable experiences that have the potential to open up other exciting avenues in life.
“We want to thank The Robertson Trust for their belief in our vision and for their support.”
Gurdeep Kaur, funding officer for The Robertson Trust said:
“I’m delighted that we are able to support the work of The Scheme, Livingston, through our Large Grants.
“Their work is a strong fit with our Emotional Wellbeing and Relationships theme, where we want to see a Scotland that builds stronger wellbeing and relationships for people, families, and communities, to maximise the potential and wellbeing of those currently held back by poverty and trauma.
“Our recent conversations with the team have provided a lot of insight into the experiences and needs of people across Livingston and surrounding areas.
“The creative opportunities and individual support that The Scheme provides will make a real difference to their local community and people’s wellbeing, self-esteem and confidence in the long term.
“The team share a wealth of knowledge and experience and we look forward to learning from them over the next three years, which will also help us to continue to shape and focus our own work.”
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