STENHOUSEMUIR FC SECURES THOUSANDS OF POUNDS IN FUNDING

FOR THREE LOCAL GROUPS

 

Following on from the announcement last week that Stenhousemuir FC has been recognised as a Community Anchor Organisation (CAO) by The Scottish Government and the National Lottery Community Fund, the Club has announced it has secured thousands of pounds in funding for three additional local causes.

 

In total, £17,000 has been secured.

 

The first organisation to benefit is Larbert High School. Stenhousemuir FC has secured £11,000 to allow the school to purchase a granulator, which is an innovative machine that can recycle plastics.

 

Larbert High School, alongside other partner school networks and linked organisations, make up the ‘ViseUp Initiative’ have manufactured and distributed over 50,000 face visors to key workers,  hospitals, pharmacies, nursing and care homes nationwide including Strathcarron Hospice, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, University Hospital Ayr, Queen Elizabeth, Wishaw General Hospital, Aberdeen Royal, Ninewells, Dundee, The Beatson Cancer Centre, the Royal Alexandra Hospital, Paisley, Royal Perth Hospital.

 

The plastic granulator machine will allow them to greatly increase production as it processes plastic waste down into fine granules, before reforming it and fusing the plastic back into a usable sheet, suitable for visors as well as a wide variety of other uses.

 

Rebecca Elliot, Teacher of Technologies:

 

“As a school and department, this equipment will allow us to become 100% sustainable, meaning pupils would not have to pay a fee for resources for digital manufacturing. Instead, they could donate water bottles and milk cartons that can be formed into new plastic sheets. This will revolutionise the way we learn and push forward our drive towards becoming an ecofriendly school.

 

Mhairi McAinsh, Teacher of Art and Design

 

“Both the granulator and sheet press will be hugely beneficial not only for our students, but of the local community in the long term too in the way we recycle and reuse our plastic waste.

 

“We can hopefully inspire much more greener thinking individuals, whilst creating a real legacy for future generations to help engage in reducing our carbon footprint”.

 

The second organisation receiving funding through Stenhousemuir FC is Keeping Larbert & Stenhousemuir Beautiful (KLSB) Community Pantry. The local group run a food pantry from the Dobbie Hall which supports families in need with vital weekly food parcels throughout the year. They have had to respond to a huge increase in demand over the last few months as a result of the crisis, and the Club has secured them £5,000 in much needed funding.

Sheona McMorran, KLSB Community Pantry said

“We cannot thank Stenhousemuir FC enough for this donation. This will be used to refurbish the food pantry to make it a welcoming environment for Pantry users going forward from the Covid-19 pandemic.  We envisage the number of our pantry users will increase due to people being financially constrained, perhaps being self-employed, job losses and being furloughed during the pandemic. 

“Our vision for the Pantry is to create a nonjudgmental, friendly, relaxed atmosphere where people can come to collect pantry items, have a chat with a volunteer and receive support if they require it. Receiving this donation means that KLSB Community Pantry can ensure people can access healthy affordable food within a warm, welcoming, supportive environment after the pandemic and will benefit our community group for many years to come”.

Finally, the Larbert High School charity will also receive a £1,000 donation. They will put the money towards providing free stationary for disadvantaged young people.

Emma McMinn, PT PEFSCOT, Larbert High School wanted to thank the Club,

“Larbert High School has had a long-standing partnership with Stenhousemuir Football Club and recent events have led to us working even more closely with them.  The Warriors have played an essential role in delivering lunches and food parcels to families in crisis and have now secured funding for fundamental school learning resources, such as stationery, through their new Community Anchor Organisation role. The school has distributed over 100 free stationary boxes and 5 shops in the school communities now have a Help Yourself Box of Free stationary & feminine hygiene products. Stenhousemuir FC and their team of amazing volunteers have been an invaluable link between school and our community during the challenge of the Covid 19 pandemic – we can’t thank them enough.”

Stenhousemuir FC Chief Executive Officer Jamie Swinney said,

“We are grateful that we have been able to support some fantastic local projects. The team at Larbert High have created and donated 50,000 visors which is extraordinary. We have now supplied a granulator which will make the production significantly more efficient short-term whilst also transforming the way our community uses plastic waste long-term.

 

“Our partners KLSB are looking after 100 families, sourcing and packing 300 bags of food every week, it’s incredibly inspiring. Our funding will support this amazing organisation long-term by enabling them to make upgrades to the facility to support vulnerable people every week for many years to come.

 

“Finally, Larbert High School Charity has donated free stationary packs to school children so they can continue their education at home. This funding will help to facilitate so much of the amazing working taking place in our locality, and perhaps more importantly, will create a legacy that will support our community for many years to come”.

 

Stenhousemuir FC is extremely grateful to the Scottish Government and National Lottery Communities Fund for supporting the Club and supporting our community.

 

Stenhousemuir FC wishes to extend its services to vulnerable people beyond the lockdown. You can help us achieve this ambition by signing up to our ‘Support our community, protect your club’ campaign. From £5 a month you can play your part in our future and make an incredible difference to the lives of vulnerable people in our community.

 

Sign up here https://dev.stenhousemuirfc.com/2020/05/15/support-our-community-protect-your-club/

 

#OurCommunityYourClub

 

-ENDS-

 

Notes to editors

The Club was identified as a CAO as a result of its response to COVID-19 and its integral role within the community.

 

A key responsibility of a CAO is to work collaboratively with other local organisations and apply for funding of their behalf. The Club is delighted to announce it has secured funding for 3 fantastic local causes and has distributed these monies to the partner organisations.

 

#OurCommunityYourClub