Dounreay Cash Reaches Groups In Need During Coronavirus Lockdown

26th June 2020

More than 30 community groups received help from a fund supported by Dounreay and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority during the COVID-19 crisis.

In March 2020, Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd anticipated an upsurge in demand from community organisations for small-scale financial assistance.

It made available £30,000 to the North Highland Initiative for its fund to support community organisations impacted by the Covid-19 lockdown.

Figures released by the North Highland Initiative show how the fund has helped more than 30 groups to date.

David Whiteford, chair of the North Highland Initiative, said:We've had an amazing response to our community support programme so far and are extremely grateful to Dounreay and the NDA for their generous contribution to our overall fund.

This vital, targeted fund is a means of financial help, aimed at communities that are experiencing particular hardship as a result of the ongoing coronavirus crisis. Our aim was and still is to identify areas, projects, and local initiatives for which Government support packages may not be able to assist, and those ineligible for emergency funding.

With a limit of £1,000 of funding per project available, this allows us to provide multiple smaller grants aimed at reaching out to as many communities as possible. It also means we can act quickly with the minimum of bureaucracy and get money to where it is needed most.

We're now encouraging even more community groups from across the North Highlands to apply. Application forms are available on our website and funds are ready to be distributed.

Grants awarded so far range from play packs for vulnerable families across Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross to emergency veterinary care for animals in the custody of the SSPCA and food and medicine supplies to households in the greatest need.

Steve Young, organisational excellence director at DSRL, said:We knew the lockdown would impact some people and groups more severely than others, and we wanted to play our part in helping those in greatest need cope during the emergency. I'm delighted that the lives of so many people across the north Highlands will have been made a little easier as a result.

Earlier this month, DSRL allocated £100,000 to the Caithness Business Fund to help businesses in Caithness and North Sutherland recover from lockdown and adapt to the requirements of social distancing.

The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority owns Dounreay and funds its clean-up. The work is carried out by DSRL, a site licence company managed by the Cavendish Dounreay Partnership.

Awards to date -

ommunity Support Programme - Funding Awards @ 03 / 04 / 2020 / £9,324.86 total

Dornoch Food Bank - To purchase food and supplies for those in need in the Dornoch area

GAP - Gairloch, Aultbea, and Poolewe Food Bank

Tain Youth Cafe - School meals programme

Caithness Community Connections - Purchase of cooker and kitchen equipment, provision of hot meals for elderly, vulnerable, and children

Shieldaig Coronavirus Community Support - Childrens Activity Boxes for primary school and nursery

Dunnet and Canisbay Community Covid-19 Response - Protection and support of vulnerable and those in need

Cromarty Community Support - General support, including regular contact with isolated + newspaper and grocery deliveries

Castletown Community Covid-19 - leaflets, information, and delivery of medicines and groceries to elderly and vulnerable

North Coast Connection - Develop co-ordinated response providing assistance and support to most vulnerable

Applecross Covid - 19 Community and Support - Mobilisation of Community Support Network, food deliveries, and IT to create a resilient Applecross

Community Support Programme - Funding awards 04/04/2020 - 12/04/2020 / Running total £15,673.59

Farr Primary Parent Council - Purchase of basic food staples for individuals and families who have serious financial difficulties de to the current pandemic

Fearn Free Food Garden Polytunnel - Purchase of polytunnel to grow food all year round, and to provide community with free veg. boxes

Highland Covid-19 Support Guide - Website and social media pages actively promoting online activities, help, and advice. Provision of a source to find reliable information about about the current situation, now and throughout the aftermath

Flossies Beach Store - Purchase of stock and fuel for transport in a particularly remote area

Inver Community Shop - Village shop with honesty box. Purchase of supplies in gneral for Inver, and for those with specific needs and financial difficulty

CALA Positively Playful project packs - Play packs for vulnerable families in Caithness, Sutherland, and Ross and Cromarty areas. These include gardening tools, seeds / composts, play and learning tasks, and ECO friendly suggestions

Community Support Programme - Funding Awards 13/04/2020 - 17/04/2020 / Running total £20,633.55

Go Golspie Development Covid-19 - Engaging with primary care school children, linking with Zoom, and ensuring hot meals via "Lunch Club"

Further updates can be seen at northhighlandinitiative.co.uk