Funding boost and new face for charity that targets former mining communities

A charity that supports local initiatives to improve health and employment prospects for people in former mining communities has secured funding and appointed a new head of operations for Scotland.

Team members of Coalfields Regeneration Trust, the charity that supports local initiatives to improve health and employment prospects for people across the country’s mining communities.

The Coalfields Regeneration Trust (CRT) has received fresh government funding of £750,000 to deliver its 2021/2022 programme. CRT was founded more than two decades ago to help regenerate coalfield communities following widespread pit closures and it has since invested more than £20 million across Scotland

CRT said the funding would help it continue to tackle the issues that impact its communities, such as higher than average unemployment, many children living in poverty and poor health – many of which have been exacerbated by the pandemic.

Nicky Wilson, chair of the Coalfields Regeneration Trust in Scotland, said: “We would like to thank the Scottish Government for its ongoing support in helping us tackle social and economic issues that continue to impact many former mining areas.

“Over the past year we have worked with our communities to address problems, such as unemployment and health, that have been exacerbated by the pandemic and we will continue to do so.”

CRT has also welcomed a new head of operations for Scotland, Stuart Douglas. He joins the charity with more than 30 years’ experience in various third, public and community sector roles.

Douglas said: “Building on the great work that has come before me, I hope to bring new and additional resources to coalfield communities and work to support areas that have been affected significantly by the pandemic.”

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this article. We’re more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by coronavirus impacts our advertisers. If you haven’t already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription: www.scotsman.com/subscriptions