The Scottish Government has announced that the Communities Mental Health & Wellbeing Fund is to be made available for a third consecutive year to support more grassroots projects around Scotland.

The fund, which is distributed in the Aberdeen by ACVO, has already seen 160 City based projects share over £1.2million during years 1 and 2 and has made a huge difference to the lives of people within our communities.

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Below is the statement released by the Scottish Government on April 21st 2023…

Projects to support mental health and address social isolation and loneliness in adults will share a further £15 million this year.

The Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for adults, launched in 2021, has now provided around 3,300 grants to community organisations delivering mental health and wellbeing support, bringing total investment to £51 million. 

Activities will target older people, areas of economic deprivation, people with  long term health conditions or disability and LGBTI communities. The Fund has also had a particular focus on responding to the cost of living crisis, which remains a priority this year.

Improved mental health and wellbeing support is one of the commitments in the Scottish Government’s Policy Prospectus, which outlines firm actions to be achieved by 2026.

Health Secretary Michael Matheson visited Pause and Breathe, a social enterprise, in High Bonnybridge today (Friday 21 April) where he announced the additional funding. He said:

Watch a film below produced by ACVO featuring the Allotment Garden Stall who received funding during Year 1 of the Communities Mental Health & Wellbeing Fund – discover more details of projects awarded funds at acvo.org.uk/funding/cmhw-year1