Spreading Christmas Cheer!
Marybank, Scatwell and Strathconon Community Council distribute household vouchers in the weeks before Christmas to help tackle the rising cost of living.
In August 2023, Marybank, Scatwell and Strathconon Community Council received £3,300 from the EDF Renewables Corriemoillie Wind Farm Community Fund (Marybank, Scatwell & Strathconon), which is a sub-fund of the EDF Renewables Corriemoillie Wind Farm Community Fund. This was used to supply vouchers for groceries for 44 households to alleviate the cost of living pressure and improve quality of life.
The cost-of-living crisis – identified as a fund priority in 2022 - continued to be a major issue for many households in 2023 with ongoing increases in costs of fuel, electricity and food. With another winter approaching, the community council was keen to do something to help, particularly the elderly and families with children, who would struggle to make ends meet.
In the previous year, the Marybank Scatwell and Strathconon Community Council took action to identify households and secured funds from the National Lottery, Scottish Government, Highland Council, and Fairburn Estate to set up a voucher scheme.
This had been well received with positive feedback from local residents and so the community council was keen to build on this experience and provide help again.
In 2022, the Marybank, Scatwell and Strathconon Community Council identified 132 households in the area with at least one member over 65 years of age or at least one child under 16 years of age as well as a few residents who experience particular financial hardship, who do not fall into any of these categories but are known be reluctant to ask for help.
A similar number was identified in 2023, with community council members confirming they had been thorough in their research and had picked up any gaps from feedback the previous year. With match funding confirmed from SSE Fairburn Wind Farm, the Corriemoillie award again made it possible to give each target household vouchers in the weeks before Christmas.
Vouchers were supplied from a traditional butcher’s (£40 per household) and a greengrocer’s shop (£35 per household) in Dingwall, supporting local businesses, and were valid for a year. Community council members hand-delivered the vouchers to qualifying households in late November so they also had a chance to speak to most residents at the same time.
Christine Mackintosh, chair of the community council said:
“Thanks to generous funding from the Windfarm Community Funds at Fairburn (SSE) and Corriemoillie (EDF, Foundation Scotland) Marybank, Scatwell & Strathconon Community Council were able to convey another round of food vouchers to residents in the run up to Christmas. The aim was to help with the ever-rising cost of living and bring some light and warmth in the current climate of increasing negativity in so many areas. Recipients were highly delighted. MSS CC has received a number of emails, thank-you cards and positive comments on Facebook. Mostly though, residents expressed their appreciation directly when they were handed the envelopes with the vouchers.”
Feedback from the community was overwhelmingly positive with dozens of messages of appreciation and thanks on the local Facebook page.
“Brilliant idea and ideal that they are specifically for using in local shops. Many thanks.”
“Such a kind gesture and so appreciated.”
“Thank you everyone for all the hard work which went into delivering the vouchers. A wonderful help.”
“Thank you very much, it’s very much appreciated at this time of year.”
“Thank you for vouchers they will come in handy especially as I have big family.”