Aberdeen Covid-19 appeals to charities to apply for support

27 May 2020

The Lord Provost’s Charitable Trust is appealing to local charities that have not yet applied to the Aberdeen Covid-19 Hardship Fund to do so before midnight on Friday 29 May 2020.

The hardship fund aims to help citizens experiencing severe financial hardship due to the pandemic in Aberdeen and, since its launch on Friday 01 May 2020, it has so far raised £189,760 in donations, including £100,000 from Aberdeen City Council via the Common Good Fund.

To date, the Hardship Fund has given a total of £161,596 to 24 charities in Aberdeen, but its organisers are keen to help more.

Charities that wish to make an application should go to https://www.aberdeencovid19.org/apply for further information and advice.

The Fund is open for applications until 11.59pm on Friday 29 May 2020 with the Lord Provost’s Charitable Trust meeting in early June to review the new applications.

In the first round of funding grants ranged from £2,000 to £35,000 with all money going directly to supporting individuals and families by providing food, nappies, clothing, toiletries, energy costs, equipment for clients, or small hardship payments. Among those who received support were vulnerable and at-risk groups including people experiencing poverty or ill health, people with disabilities, ethnic minorities, unemployed people, children and young persons, older people and others affected by the pandemic.

It was estimated that the first round of funding supported approximately 3,640 individuals and 630 families with over 5,000 food parcels and 20,000 meals being provided.

The Lord Provost of Aberdeen, Barney Crockett said: “Thanks to the generosity of individuals and businesses we have been able to give much needed financial support to local charities helping local people in desperate need due to the Covid-19 pandemic. We still want to do more, and we would urge local charities that have not already applied to the hardship fund to do so.

“We appreciate that there are so many worthy causes that are looking for donations, but we would like to remind people that 100% of the money donated will go to charities in Aberdeen, many of which are small charities that are desperate for support.”

Mervyn Donald, Deacon Convenor, The Seven Incorporated Trades of Aberdeen said: “We are so pleased to have been able to help the first round of small charities in Aberdeen who are financially in need at this time. We have an opportunity to help further and would encourage any charities thinking of applying to the fund, to do so as soon as possible to ensure the applications are considered. Donations are also still very much needed to help us help the citizens of Aberdeen. We thank those who have supported us thus far.”

Donations are still being sought and a special crowdfunding page on www.aberdeencovid19.org allows anyone anywhere to donate to this worthy cause.

Any organisation or individual wishing 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.

100% of all donations received will go directly to helping those experiencing genuine hardship in Aberdeen due to COVID-19.

The special hardship fund is a partnership between The Lord Provost’s Charitable Trust, The Seven Incorporated Trades of Aberdeen and Aberdeen City Council.

It followed 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.