Charity group, Flexible Childcare Services Scotland, has received £75,000 from the NHS Tayside Charitable Foundation for the creation of a fully inclusive Community Hub in Fintry.
The investment will fund the regeneration and extension of the charity’s existing nursery, creating a stakeholder-led hub that is fully accessible and open to everyone.
Susan McGhee, chief executive officer at Flexible Childcare Services Scotland said,
“We are absolutely delighted with the news! The funding from NHS Tayside will allow us to create a Community Hub, which will wrap around our flexible childcare service, delivering family and community services designed with a wellbeing and capabilities approach at the heart.
“Parents tell us they have improved wellbeing from using our services as they are less stressed about juggling work, finance and the needs of their children. Our extended community services will provide further opportunities to support improved physical and mental health through access to healthy food from a community garden, outdoor play space for the community to use on evenings and at weekends, and opportunities to develop friendships through participating in group activities.”
The new funding will allow the charity to renovate existing, but dilapidated, outbuildings in addition to a purpose built two storey space which will house a community workshop, office spaces and a courtyard garden for the community to grow their own fruit and vegetables.
The project will support children who may otherwise have limited access to high quality early learning, childcare and school age services; families, those on low incomes, in unsecure work or unable to work because of barriers in finding suitable care services and the local community, developing relationships, creating community cohesion through provision of a range of support services & development opportunities.
All work has been designed in line with the Scottish Government’s Space to Grow guidance. The completed hub will provide enhanced school-aged childcare provision, youth activities, a community shed for repair, reuse and recycle projects, a meeting space for local groups, and a room set up in the style of a domestic living room to provide a welcoming environment for supervised contact visits.
According to Shelley McCarthy, Chief Officer at NHS Tayside Charitable Foundation,
“We are delighted to support Flexible Childcare Services with this £75,000 award. Their work makes such a meaningful difference to families by breaking down barriers to employment, education and wellbeing. At NHS Tayside Charitable Foundation, we are committed to funding projects that strengthen our communities and improve lives, and this partnership is a wonderful example of that commitment in action.”
