A Fife community hub’s response to coronavirus has been boosted by £60,000 from the Scottish Government.
The funding has enabled Collydean Community Centre in Glenrothes to implement several initiatives, including preparing and delivering emergency food parcels; collecting prescriptions and medical supplies; offering free smartphones and iPads to those with no internet access; and sharing funding with specialist agencies or grassroot organisations throughout Glenrothes and Fife.
The centre, which serves 19,000 residents across North Glenrothes, received its grant from the Scottish Government Supporting Communities Fund, and was effectively repurposed in March as a ‘community anchor organisation’ following the coronavirus outbreak.
Centre manager Rose Duncan explained:“So many people in our area have lost all or a proportion of their income due to the national lockdown and struggling to cope with the new stay-at-home regime.
“Many more are self-isolating due to other health conditions and in addition we have a relatively large number of people who were already in the “vulnerable” category resident in the area before the pandemic hit.
“As a result, our food project has proven to be a life changer for so many. Having food parcels delivered to their door in a time when they are afraid to shop themselves has provided a tremendous reassurance and one less thing to worry about.
“We have also done our best to include as many healthy food options as possible.
“Hats off to our volunteer team for preparing the parcels and managing all the deliveries.
“Covid-19 has had a devastating global effect but also has shone a light on community spirit in our area.”
After local SNP MSP Jenny Gilruth put them in touch, the centre was also able to provide Kingdom Abuse Survivors Project (KASP) with laptops and smartphones with three months’ free credit to enable the organisation to move their counselling services online.
A long-time supporter of the centre’s work, Ms Gilruth said she was “indebted” to Mrs Duncan, staff and volunteers.
“Collydean Community Centre is the backbone of our local community in North Glenrothes and I know Rose is using this welcome Scottish Government funding to provide and adapt vital services during this time,” she commented.
“Through the Supporting Communities Fund from the Scottish Government, more than 15 initiatives are being undertaken to bolster the community and support local people through these challenging times.”
