THE Coalfields Regeneration Trust (CRT) has set-up an ‘Adapt and Thrive Programme’ to help former mining communities across Scotland recover from the impact of Covid-19 and lockdown.

Funding available through the charity’s new initiative is designed to let community groups continue to deliver their projects and develop new ones as the country emerges from lockdown.

It will help groups meet the cost of adapting their services in line with government guidelines and minimise any risk of coronavirus infection.

A recent report published by CRT found that former mining communities are among the most disadvantaged in Scotland, in terms of education, unemployment, child poverty and poor health and wellbeing. This inequality has been widened by Covid-19 which has exacerbated existing issues.

The highly successful Oor Wee Cafe project in Kelty received support through CRT’s Coalfields Emergency Response Fund to make their Tuesday takeaway programme work well and it still is.

The ‘Adapt and Thrive Programme’ is offering awards of between £500 and £5,000 to charity and not-for-profit organisations in coalfields areas - including community centres, youth clubs, miners’ welfare centres and sports clubs - to help them safely re-open after lockdown and re-establish their services.

Examples of the types of activity that CRT will fund include: changing operations to use more rooms with reduced capacity, making greater use of outdoor spaces and developing new procedures, such as staggering opening times. Projects funded could be working to restore communities and reduce isolation; tackle poverty; promote health and wellbeing and encourage youth engagement.

Nicky Wilson, chair of the Coalfields Regeneration Trust in Scotland, said: “Throughout the Covid-19 lockdown we have been doing everything we can to support community groups working in former mining areas across Scotland.

"We have seen and heard that the pandemic has exacerbated existing problems in these areas, including health and wellbeing, unemployment and education gaps.

“We decided to set-up the ‘Adapt and Thrive Programme’ to enable groups to support their local communities as we emerge from lockdown. For example, some groups will need to find more space to allow for social distancing, or open longer hours to limit numbers at certain times. These sorts of changes cost money and that’s where our fund will help. We would encourage groups to get in touch to find out more about our new programme.”

To request an application form for the ‘Adapt and Thrive Programme’ please email david.wright@coalfields-regen.org.uk

At the height of lockdown, CRT offered the Coalfields Emergency Response Fund as a short-term form of support to help community organisations through the crisis.