Twenty six UK-based charities will be awarded funding from the ScottishPower Foundation this year. The programme for 2017 was unveiled today (10 March 2017) at the National Theatre of Scotland in Glasgow - one of the projects set to benefit from the £1.8million largest funding pot to date.
Ann McKechin, ScottishPower Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, announced the programme of funding alongside the team at the National Theatre of Scotland and students from St. Joseph’s Primary School. The students are from one of the local schools who will directly benefit from ScottishPower Foundation’s biggest funding year through the Theatre’s Submarine Time Machine project. Submarine Time Machine is a large scale participatory arts project taking place between April to June 2017 on the banks, and in, the Forth and Clyde Canal. The project will bring to life a series of theatrical events and happenings based upon the mythical stories of the canal, encouraging people from all over Glasgow to delve deep into the historic tales of the Forth and Clyde Canal in Glasgow’s North quarter.
The ScottishPower Foundation was established in 2013 with the aim of making a significant and lasting contribution to society, enhancing the lives of people living in communities throughout the UK. It provides funding to registered charities which are involved in the advancement of education, environmental protection, citizenship and community development. The Foundation also supports non-profit organisations working in science, the arts, heritage or culture as well as the prevention of poverty and relief of disability or other disadvantage.
Each of the 26 beneficiaries to receive a slice of the funding from the ScottishPower Foundation will deliver events, information or campaigns that directly benefit people living in their local communities or regions including a theatre event, a science learning programme and cancer respite care. This year in particular there has been a focus on non-profit organisations supporting young carers or people living with dementia.
Ann McKechin, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at ScottishPower, said: "It’s been heartening to hear all about the work of these 26 projects and the invaluable services which they provide. The ScottishPower Foundation is committed to improving the lives of people living in our local communities and by delivering this funding we want to ensure the good work continues. This year will be the biggest funding year to date for the Foundation and I’m looking forward to seeing how all of the projects come to fruition.”
Simon Sharkey, Associate Director of National Theatre of Scotland, added: “We are thrilled to be partnering with the ScottishPower Foundation again in 2017. The generous funding will allow us to deliver Submarine Time Machine, an incredibly exciting project and theatrical experience for our new local community here on the banks of the Forth and Clyde Canal, next to the National Theatre of Scotland’s new facility Rockvilla, as well as for the city and people across Glasgow.”
For further information please contact Jen Ward or Laura Blyth at Stripe Communications on 0131 561 8628. You can also email the team at spfoundation@stripecommunications.com
Notes to editors:
Projects set to receive funding from the Foundation during 2017:
- ScottishPower Foundation Awards
- ScottishPower Foundation Scholarships
Arts and Culture
- National Museums Scotland
- ScottishPower Pipe Band
- The Aloud Charity
- National Theatre of Scotland
- Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod
Education
- Children’s University Scotland
- Glasgow Caledonian University
- National Library of Wales
- Dumfries House
- Young Enterprise – England and Wales
Relief of poverty
- The Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice
- Maggie Keswick Jencks Cancer Caring Centres Trust
- Music in Hospitals
- National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children
- Erskine
- The Outward Bound Trust
- Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Scotland
- O Ddrws I Ddrws
- Perth Autism Support
Citizenship
- Alzheimer Scotland
- Trinity Mirror – The Liverpool Echo Your Heroes Awards
- Theatr Clwyd
Environment
- Young Scot Enterprise
- Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (Scotland)
About the ScottishPower Foundation
The ScottishPower Foundation is a registered Scottish charity (SC043862) and a company limited by guarantee (SC445116). The Foundation’s aim is to make a significant and lasting contribution to society and enhance the quality of life in local communities. It provides funding to registered charities and non-profit organisations for the following purposes: the advancement of education; the advancement of environmental protection; the advancement of the arts, heritage, culture or science; the prevention or relief of poverty and the relief of those in need by reason of disability or other disadvantage; the advancement of citizenship and community development.
The National Theatre of Scotland is dedicated to playing the great stages, arts centres, village halls, schools and site-specific locations of Scotland, the UK and internationally. As well as creating ground-breaking productions and working with the most talented theatre-makers, the National Theatre of Scotland produces significant community engagement projects, innovates digitally and works constantly to develop new talent. Central to this is finding pioneering ways to reach current and new audiences and to encourage people’s full participation in the Company’s work. With no performance building of its own, the Company works with existing and new venues and companies to create and tour theatre of the highest quality.