A donation of £100,000 has been made to Sense Scotland from Barclays as part of its 100×100 Programme, to help those hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic. The programme is part of Barclays’ £100m COVID-19 Community Aid Package, announced last year, which supports grassroots charities who understand the needs of their communities.
The programme was recently extended to support charities which focus on physical and mental health issues, financial hardship, communities disproportionately affected by the pandemic, and digital accessibility.
Sense Scotland is a national charity and specialised social care provider in Scotland supporting people with communication support needs associated with complex and sensory disabilities, and their families, where individual needs and choices come first.
Koral Anderson, Barclays Scotland Site Head, commented:
“With the long-term impacts of the crisis still being felt, Barclays continues to play a positive role in society. By working with charities like Sense Scotland who best understand the needs of their communities in Scotland we can ensure help is getting right into the heart of society. We hope that by partnering with incredible local charities, we can continue to help people in need as they emerge from the crisis.”
The funding has enabled Sense Scotland to launch a Scotland-wide Welfare Rights Service with lead partner Glasgow North West Citizens Advice. The service offers workshops on topics including energy bills and money management, benefit renewals and applications, and financial health checks to maximise income.
Angela Bonomy, Executive Director of Sense Scotland, said:
“We’re grateful to Barclays for such a generous donation which will allow Sense Scotland to provide this additional service. We’re sure that the offer of welfare rights advice will be welcomed by families and people we support, both to help them recover from the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, and deal with future financial pressures”.
Alana Forsyth, CEO of Glasgow North West Citizens Advice Bureau, said:
“Glasgow North West CAB has been offering an accessible service that engaged with vulnerable and isolated people throughout the pandemic. We are delighted to partner with Sense Scotland to deliver this much needed service. Through this partnership we aim to empower families and individuals to know and apply their everyday rights, as well as with practical advice such as budgeting support, dealing with disputes in work and housing, and employability.”
Suzanne Clark, Sense Scotland trustee, added: “Having this service available is vital and will be of great support to families across the country. Just knowing that there is a point of contact who specialises in this area helps reduce stress levels immediately. Any financial advice and support will help many families like ours to no end, especially during really challenging economic times.”
The Sense Scotland Welfare Rights Service is available from Tuesday 1st March, 2022, and is open to people with communication needs and their families. For enquiries about the service, get in touch.