Lord Provost’s Charitable Trust launches emergency COVID-19 appeal

01 May 2020

An emergency COVID-19 Hardship Fund has been officially launched today (Friday 01 May) by The Lord Provost’s Charitable Trust in Aberdeen.

The aim of the Hardship Fund is to raise much-needed cash for Aberdeen-based registered charities to help individuals, families and communities across the city experiencing severe financial hardship as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It follows a request to the Lord Provost of Aberdeen Barney Crockett, from The Seven Incorporated Trades of Aberdeen and a local businessperson, for the Charitable Trust, to be used as a vehicle to create a hardship fund for those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Lord Provost was delighted to help and asked Aberdeen City Council officers to identify ways in which this could be done. The direct granting of funds by the Charitable Trust to individuals is not permitted by the Trust Deed and making hardship payments to individuals may only be achieved by passing funds to a charity for this purpose.

The Seven Incorporated Trades also approached Aberdeen-based creative agency Hampton to get involved and the team there jumped at the opportunity to do ‘their bit’ to help people in the city struggling due to the global pandemic.

A special crowdfunding page has been created on www.aberdeencovid19.org

to allow anyone anywhere to donate to this worthy cause. 100% of all donations received will go directly to helping those experiencing genuine hardship in Aberdeen due to COVID-19.

The Lord Provost said: “By working in partnership, The Lord Provost’s Charitable Trust, The Seven Incorporated Trades and Aberdeen City Council have established the special Covid-19 Hardship Fund in order to help our citizens most in need during these unprecedented times.

“The creation of the Lord Provost’s Charitable Trust’s Hardship Fund and crowdfunding page is testament to Aberdeen as a city that cares. Thanks to a generous donation from The Seven Incorporated Trades Widows’ Fund Charity of £50,000 the Hardship Fund is off to a flying start, but I would urge businesses, associations and private individuals to support this appeal and donate whatever they can now.

“We’re in this together and we can get through this together.”

Mervyn Donald, Deacon Convenor, The Seven Incorporated Trades said: “The Seven Incorporated Trades of Aberdeen is very much a community-based organisation and we are keen to help those in most acute need in our city.

“As such, we would wish to support the Lord Provost in this important appeal to fellow citizens.”

Any organisation or individual that would like to discuss making a sizable donation can email lordprovost@aberdeencity.gov.uk marking it for the attention of Garry Watson, Clerk to The Lord Provost’s Charitable Trust.

To apply to the Hardship Fund, registered charities must complete an application form which is hosted on a dedicated microsite www.aberdeencovid19.org

The closing date for the first round of applications is 11.59pm on Thursday 07 May, and we will let you know the outcome of your application by Friday 15 May.

The Lord Provost’s Charitable Trust is a fund independent of the city council, set up to support registered Scottish charities operating within the City of Aberdeen. The Trust is currently led by the Lord Provost of Aberdeen Barney Crockett.

The Seven Incorporated Trades of Aberdeen was founded in 1587 by the coming together of the seven craft trades consisting of Hammermen, Bakers, Wrights & Coopers, Tailors, Shoemakers, Weavers, and Fleshers. Today, based in the Trinity Hall Building in Holburn Street, their mission is a historically grounded commitment to skills, people development and education, the care and wellbeing of its members and their dependents, and raise and disburse funds for the advancement of young persons living in the Aberdeen community. They also maintain and provide access to the historical artefacts of the trade crafts of Aberdeen. The Trades Widows’ Fund Charity is their primary charitable entity. https://www.seventradesofaberdeen.co.uk/