Kirkcaldy family centre’s delight at cash for fundraiser

Staff at the Cottage Family Centre in Kirkcaldy are celebrating after being offered money to employ a fundraiser.

Pauline Buchan with Kaiden Donnachie (2) and Anna McKenzie. Pic by Fife Photo Agency

Burntisland-based Briggs Marine, which has been a staunch supporter of the centre that supports families in the Templehall area of the town for some years, has offered to advertise for, and pay the wages of, a part-time fundraiser for the next two years.

And, as well as allowing the centre to seek external funding sources to help support its work, it will also free up the managers to do more of the work to help vulnerable families rather than having their time taken up looking financial support.

You may also be interested in:

Long-standing company set to leave Fife

Running event set to return to Lang Toun

Spectacle to take place over Leuchars Pauline Buchan, service manager at the Cottage, described the move as “a godsend”.

“This is going to make my job so much easier as it is a role I have been doing on top of my own for a long time,” she added. “We will have the money to employ someone whose role it is to seek out funding to help run our vital services and I will be able to get on with my job of running the centre.

“I can’t thank Collieson Briggs {managing director of Briggs Marine} enough. This all came about from a discussion before Christmas when we were talking about our annual appeal and how difficult it is to find funding.”

Anna MacKenzie, director at Briggs Marine, said: “Having grown up in the area and being a resident of Kirkcaldy, I am in awe of the work the Cottage Centre does to support vulnerable families, so the decision to offer help by funding this important position within the charity was an easy one.

“The position will allow for an increased awareness of the essential service the charity offers, identify new funding areas and attract other local companies to show support to such a worthwhile and much needed service.”

Marilyn Livingstone, chairman of the Cottage, added: “Our budgets are tight and would not allow us to recruit a dedicated fundraiser officer.

“This new post will allow us not only to look at sustainable funding for our current provision, but to seek new sources of funding to expand and diversify support for vulnerable children and families in our communities.”