Three Edinburgh-based charities join STV Children’s Appeal’s Ignite Fund

Three Edinburgh children’s charities have been named among 11 Scottish organisations as partners of STV Children’s Appeal’s newly launched Ignite Fund.

Each charity will receive a share of £1m this year through the funding programme, created to deliver ongoing financial and non-financial support to children, young people and family charities in Scotland.

Since its inception in 2011, STV Children’s Appeal has invested in long-term projects with charitable organisations. The Ignite Fund, a key part of the Appeal, will continue to provide sustained, multi-year financial and development aid to charities across the country to help break the cycle of child poverty in Scotland.

The Edinburgh charities which will receive funding are Scran Academy, a catering social enterprise, empowering young people to realise their full potential through transformational education and employability programmes; Place2Be & Youth Scotland, which is based in the city and operates throughout Scotland, equipping youth workers and peer leaders with the tools to provide support for young people’s mental health and wellbeing; and The Yard which has a play and family-support centre for disabled children in Edinburgh, as well as other cities across Scotland. These charities were chosen for their commitment to offering tangible, scalable solutions which tackle the root causes of poverty.

The STV Children’s Appeal, which has raised over £37m to date, will work closely with Ignite partners to identify goals, needs and opportunities for growth, aiming to drive both immediate improvements and lasting systemic change. The initiative includes the launch of the Ignite Academy which will offer charity partners access to STV’s in-house expertise, such as marketing and communications, while fostering a peer network for knowledge-sharing and collaboration.

Natalie Wright, head of STV Children’s Appeal, said: “We have always focused on ensuring the funding we give is well thought through and with a purpose, which is exactly what we are doing with The Ignite Fund. Our experience shows that a sustained approach to our partnerships gives real results which make an immediate and lasting impact to those who need it most.

“We’re excited to welcome Place2Be back to continue our successful partnership, and to have The Yard and Scran Academy on board for the beginning of a fruitful relationship which will change lives.”

www.stvgivesafely.org/stvappeal/

 Image:  Lorraine Kelly, face of STV Children’s Appeal during the 2024 launch of the STV Children’s Appeal Ignite Fund/STV