FOUNDATION Scotland’s community foundation, awarded £112,092 in crisis support grants to 32 local community projects in the Borders across the last 18-months.

Distributed on behalf of the Foundation’s donors, this significant level of funding helped to protect some of the most vulnerable people suffering through the pandemic, providing vital support for charities and grassroots groups within communities across the area.

Supported groups include Borders Care Voice, A Heart for Duns, Hawick Congregational Community Church and Live Borders Peebles Community Centre.

Gala Men’s Shed received £5,000 at the very start of the pandemic and Ross Hall, Borders Men’s Shed Coordinator said “On March 12th 2020, the Gala Men's Shed shut its doors as we could see what was coming, an unstoppable virus that would affect every member of our community. Our Borders Shed Network quickly followed suit as our Shedders, both men and women, were right in the firing line as an older vulnerable age group.

“We have 10 Sheds and over 800 Shedders in the Borders, more Sheds and Shedders per head of population than anywhere else in Britain. We knew we needed to do something to support our sons and daughters at risk on the front line.

“Thanks to the fast £5,000 emergency award from Foundation Scotland we were enabled to quickly produce over 1,200 visors at Gala Men's Shed - this generous award undoubtedly helped us to save lives of our key workers. Visors were donated for free to individuals. Overall, combined with other funding we created over 5,500 lifesaving visors for our area.”

Giles Ruck, Chief Executive at Foundation Scotland, said: “Community groups have been the beating heart of Scotland’s response, and we are proud to be the funder they know they can turn to in times of need. Likewise, we are grateful that we became the first call for many donors eager for us to distribute their funds quickly and efficiently

For more details visit https://www.foundationscotland.org.uk/