A Fife-wide fund which supports local community groups and charities opens for applications next week (Monday 24 June). 

The University of St Andrews Community Fund https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/community/community-fund/, which makes awards of between £250 and £3000, has supported more than 150 different groups across the Kingdom during the last four years. 

Recently, funding awards focused on projects directly helping those affected by the cost-of-living and energy crisis as well as projects that seek to address environmental sustainability issues. 

In the latest round, £963.80 was awarded to Strathkinness Community Trust for signage at their Magus Muir Woodland as well as the Strathkinness Community Garden and Orchard. The signage will include maps, welcome signs and boards which will provide key information such as information on the heritage varieties of fruit on the sites.  

Freuchie Scout Group was awarded £1500 to support the installation of energy-efficient electric radiators in their Scout Hall, the first project in a series to support the group's journey towards improving their environmental impact.  

In Methil, children's bereavement charity Richmond’s Hope https://www.richmondshope.org.uk/, was awarded £3000 to support their new service in the Wellesley Centre.

Richmond’s Hope provides bereaved children and young people aged four-18 with a safe place to work through their grief using verbal and non-verbal ways. Their Bereavement Support Workers use therapeutic play and specialised grief activities to empower children and young people to tell the story of their grief and enable changes to their lives. Special sessions allow children to explore memories, express and understand their feelings and develop coping strategies to build resilience. Richmond's Hope is the only child bereavement service of its kind in Fife. 

The charity’s fundraising officer, Rebecca Amiel, said: “Richmond’s Hope is delighted to have received a donation of £3000 from the University of St Andrews Community Fund which will go directly to supporting children and families from Methil and the surrounding areas. The funds will pay for three children to go through a programme of bereavement support tailored to their needs and experiences. It will make a huge difference to their lives, and we are so grateful to the University of St Andrews for their generous support.” 

The panel welcomes applications from across the region and to date the fund has supported applications from Newburgh through to St Monans, Leven, Methil, Kirkcaldy and Lochgelly.   

The University’s Community Engagement and Social Responsibility Manager, Lesley Caldwell, who oversees the fund, said: “The Community Fund looks to respond to community need and has done so since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.  

“Social responsibility and providing support to our communities is at the heart of the University Strategy and the fund allows us to do what we can to support local groups and charities helping to address the crisis.” 

The latest round of the University Community Fund https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/community/community-fund/ is open until Friday 30 August. More information on how to apply is available on the Community Fund pages of the University website https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/.