Next round of Community Chest fund for unpaid Fife carers opens for applications

UNPAID carers are set to benefit from a bumper funding pot of £200,000.

Community Chest for Fife Carers was launched in June this year, with 24 projects across the Kingdom receiving funding totalling £150,000.

This second round of funding from Fife Health and Social Care Partnership will once again benefit of unpaid carers in the Kingdom.

In Fife there are over 35,000 unpaid carers who look after friends or family affected by illness, disability, mental health or addiction.

Community Chest for Fife Carers funds projects set up by local groups or charities to create supportive places for these unpaid carers, develop their sense of belonging and improve their wellbeing.

The funding is available to any community group or charity based in Fife, who can apply for up to £10,000 per project, for up to two years.

Projects and local initiatives that Community Chest might be used to fund include:

·        Local carers café, supper clubs, coffee mornings, warm venues 

·        Carers art and crafts clubs or projects 

·        Shared allotment or gardening projects 

·        Sports and fitness initiatives including carers walking or cycling clubs, swimming clubs, golf groups 

·        Creative cooking classes 

·        Creative reading and writing groups or book clubs 

·        Music and singing lessons 

·        Locality theatre group 

·        Creation of a new local carers support group

Fiona McKay, Head of Strategic Planning, Performance & Commissioning, Fife Health and Social Care Partnership said: “We recognise the huge contribution Fife’s unpaid carers make. And in the first round of funding we helped to support 24 projects from across the whole of Fife which really was fantastic.

“This fund is especially for local charities and groups to set up activities and clubs or initiatives to show support for their tireless work unpaid carers do.

“Giving unpaid carers a chance to connect with others in a supportive place is invaluable and vital for their wellbeing.

“We hope to be able to support up as many projects as possible in each locality area in Fife and would invite anyone who is interested to get in touch with us.”

The closing date for applications to the fund is December 1 2023.

For further information on how to apply, email HSCPLocalityPlanning@fife.gov.uk