School Uniform Bank - Back to School & Nursery (Central and North Perth)
2025-02-07 • 1 comment • • Central and North Perth
2025 will be our fourth year running our Back to School Pack. In 2021 we provided 152 packs, in 2022 - 340, in 2023 - 400, and in 2024 we provided 512 Back to School Packs and 91 Back to Nursery Packs (our first year running this service). Our Packs are available to anyone who lives in these wards.
What is in a Back to School Pack?
Our packs include 3 shirts, 2 bottoms, 2 jumpers/cardis, 2 PE t shirts, 2 PE bottoms, a PE jumper and a school bag. We also aim to include school shoes and/or trainers plus stationary and other back to school essentials like pack lunch boxes or pencil cases. Everything a child needs for taking part in their school journey.
What is in a Back to Nursery Pack?
Our Back to Nursery packs include 5 days of mix and match outfits; 5 jumpers, 5 t-shirts, 5 bottoms, messy play clothing, a seasonal jacket and footwear. We also add in extras such as sun hats, vests and socks as we know children need these items to fully participate in their learning and no one comes home clean after one day in nursery!
Packs are personalised to each schools colours and the child’s style preferences (so you can tell us if they won’t wear shorts, or will only wear cardigans!) and their sensory needs to make sure the packs are made to suit the individual. We also ask for bag colours and characters and try our hardest to match up to their personal style. We believe our service should make the child feel confident and comfortable that they match their peers.
SO IF YOU THINK THAT...
- All children should have access to high quality school uniform?
- We should protect our environment and make positive pre-loved clothing choices?
- By making little changes to our own lifestyle to support others we can make big changes for the future of our children?
Then please support us by voting for our Back to School & Nursery Pack project. Thank you.
Team Social Flock
Wonderland Event - Crieff
2025-01-21 • No comments • • South Crieff
Overview: Wonderland is a community-based initiative devised by Adventure Circus SCIO in 2024. Wonderland’s aim is to bringing free outdoor circus performances and workshops to local parks in the school summer holidays. The project focuses on engaging children and families, particularly those from low-income areas, offering them the opportunity to experience live circus entertainment and actively participate in circus skills training within their own community (Crieff), out of doors during the summer.
Our goals:
- Access to the Arts during cost of living crisis: we want to provide children and families in low-income / semi-rural areas with the chance to see a professional circus performance, something that may otherwise be financially out of reach.
- Skill Development: we love to share what we do, and so our performances always include an element of participation to encourage children to engage in circus skills. For example our performers will help members of the public to try juggling, hula hooping, and aerial arts, promoting physical activity, creativity and self-confidence.
- Community Building: Our visits are intended to offer a community activity that brings local people together for a fun, inclusive and interactive experience. As an outdoor spectacle, there is no limit to the number of people who can attend. In 2024 we performed Wonderland in Crieff to approximately 250 people of all ages.
- Wellbeing Focus: It is our long term aim that our Wonderland events provoke audience members to consider taking part in circus skills, either through our education programme, or through self practise. Circus arts have a well known reputation for improving mental/emotional wellbeing due to a long history of inclusivity, and the skills offer an opportunity for self-expression, resilience and crucially for young people, play.
Key Activities:
- Outdoor Circus Show: Our professional circus performers will put on an engaging outdoor show that is family-friendly and accessible to all ages. The show is based on Alice in Wonderland and so the story concept is recognisable to many people because of it’s well known characters and timeless themes such as curiosity, exploration, personal growth, absurdity and nonsense!
- Taster Sessions: After the performance, children and adults will be invited to try their hand at various circus skills like juggling, hula hooping and aerial hoop workshops led by the circus performers. Participants will be encouraged to experiment and learn.
- Community Involvement: Alongside our performers, local volunteers from Adventure Circus, including our young leaders, will assist with workshop delivery and gain valuable community experience. We will spend time getting to know local people and can encourage them to join us, continue to practise independently.
Target Audience:
- Children aged 3-14, particularly those from lower-income backgrounds who may not experience many special activities / experiences due to the cost of living crisis and limitations of the family budget
- Families and community members who may not typically access large-scale entertainment or arts events because they cannot afford to attend or because they do not have the means to travel out with their area due to limitations of public transport / cost.
Benefits:
- For Children: Encourages physical activity and boosts confidence and resilience through fun, engaging experiences.
- For Families: Provides a free, inclusive arts/circus experience that brings joy for all the family and introduces new ways to engage in physical activity.
- For all: floor skills such as juggling and hula hooping are extremely low cost and are accessible beyond our Wonderland experiences through our community classes, or through self exploration at home using resources such as youtube/TikTok/Instagram
- For the Community: Strengthens local connections Adventure Circus has within different areas throughout Perth & Kinross and helps to create lasting memories by bringing a positive, uplifting event to the community.
Outcomes:
With your help, we will be helping to increase access to the arts for children in underserved areas, we will encourage/enhance physical and mental wellbeing through creative circus play and we will help to strengthen community cohesion and pride in local parks as venues for cultural and recreational activities.
By bringing the magic of the circus directly to the community, Wonderland creates a free, accessible opportunity for children to see, learn, and play, and best of all, it is all set up right in their own parkland!
Video: https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17929916303875766/
Breaking Barriers: Making Rugby Accessible for Every Child in Perth and Kinross
2025-01-28 • 1 comment • • Central and North Perth
Perthshire Rugby: Breaking Barriers, Building Futures
At Perthshire Rugby, we believe every child should have the chance to enjoy the benefits of sport—no matter their background. That’s why we’re launching a FREE summer rugby and multi-sports camp, ensuring financial barriers don’t hold kids back!
With the rising cost of living, many families struggle to afford extracurricular activities. But sport is more than just a game—it builds confidence, resilience, leadership, and friendships.
Our Vision: A Week of Sport & Community
Monday 11th August | 9 AM – 3 PM – Multi-sports camp
Saturday 16th August – Community Funday & BBQ
Completely FREE – No hidden costs! Healthy lunches, snacks & drinks provided Expert coaching from qualified rugby & sports coaches Inclusive & fun for all skill levels
This isn’t just about rugby—it’s about building a stronger, healthier, and more connected community.
We need your vote to secure funding and make this happen!
Vote for Perthshire Rugby today! Help us inspire the next generation and create lasting change.
Preventing Crisis Together in South Crieff
2025-02-07 • No comments • • South Crieff
Letham4All SCIO has been working with a variety of partners across Perth and Kinross at a very local community level, a dignified and holistic route to reduce the impact of poverty. As a result of this work, Letham4All has successfully piloted the use of the Pay Point Platform and extended to scope of Perth Cards, to provide small amounts of financial support, to help people in immediate financial crisis. Working with existing referral routes this project will provide an additional route for support for those who are not successful with a crisis grant or where a crisis grant is not an appropriate option. The Paypoint Platform enables the sending of utility voucher codes by text message to a mobile phone that can be redeemed in the usual place people top up their utility cards/keys and the Perth Cards across Perth and Kinross can be used in a variety of shops to purchase food and utilities.
This referral-based support has been accessed by a range of public agencies and 3rd sector organisations who have had no other means of supporting people with financial support to offer a breathing space while longer-term solutions are set up. This has been particularly effective out with traditional working hours and at weekends and support can be organised and delivered within an hour. We know from feedback from agencies that being able to offer this quick solution to those most in need is very beneficial to the household, encourages further discussion of longer-term solutions to prevent further crises, and reduces stress and worry. Partners have also told us that being able to use the Pay Point Platform as a means of offering support saves valuable staff time in handling and delivering cash payments for utility tops-ups and is a much faster way of getting support to their clients. To deliver this project Letham4All and its partners use the Citizen Advice Bureau’s information-sharing protocol, The Fast Online Referral Tracking System, FORT. This system enables all partners to see what referrals and support services have been received by a service user eliminating the risk of duplication, and giving support services a clear picture of services received and of any gaps emerging in meeting the needs of the person.
Family Food Creation and Learning
2025-02-10 • No comments • • Coupar Angus, Meigle & Alyth
Pupils from each year group will learn to cook a meal, such as a main meal and pudding using healthy food choices and budget ingredients. They will plan, prepare and cook within school and take a meal home. The project would last for 10 weeks allowing each class to participate in 3 sessions (Burrelton P.S. has 3 mixed year classes), they will also bring in a parent and/or guardian during their last session to join in the learning, cooking and fun. The classes will be facilitated by an outside worker and school support staff. The aim of the project is to give life skills to pupils to prepare easy home cooked meals from scratch to share with their family on a set budget. Pupils will also learn about nutrition, healthy eating and family food budgeting as part of the project sessions. We hope to use some of the school grown garden vegetables as part of the sessions with support from Burrelton in Bloom.
Access to Adventure
2025-02-07 • No comments • • Rattray
The Access to Adventure Project will provide financial support for the pupils of Rattray Primary School and Nursery to take part in learning outside of the classroom. The funding would cover the costs of transport and entry fees to venues for children from low-income families to ensure that financial hardship does not prevent any child from participating in school trips.
A significant proportion of children attending Rattray Primary School live within SIMD quintiles 1 (36%) & 2 (5%) and 35% of pupils are entitled to free school meals. Under the Acorn measure of poverty in rural areas, 48% of Rattray pupils fall into the categories Acorn 5 and 6 which are the most deprived rural communities. A large proportion (36%) of families have multiple children attending the school and 41% of Rattray pupils have additional support needs, putting further financial pressure on parents/carers.
In this rural community, with limited transport options and with the rising cost of living, a school trip may be the only outing a child experiences out with Blairgowrie.
In previous years, the school and the Parent Council have provided subsidies to reduce cost to families. However, due to increasing levels of need and increased costs, this is unsustainable and there is a very real risk that school excursions may be limited.
The head teacher, staff and children recognise the importance of these wider experiences. The Scottish Government notes the value of learning out with the classroom and wants all children and young people to have positive learning experiences in a variety of settings (See attached document).
These experiences can enhance academic learning, whether it be visiting a historic castle, local museums, farms, or places of cultural significance, and give context to classroom learning. Often, the children gain first-hand experiences that cannot be replicated in school. This helps develop engagement and interest in subjects that may help shape their future choices.
Trips away from school also develop personal growth allowing children to develop a sense of independence, perhaps experiencing life out with their comfort zone. They develop skills, responsibility and confidence that helps them try new things, explore new environments and look after themselves. Children can develop a sense of adventure, and these fabulous types of experiences can encourage communication with teachers, families and peers.
As a Parent Council we feel it is important to be inclusive and equitable for all the children and families in the school to avoid the stigma and/or embarrassment of having to ask for help. Therefore, the funding would not only be beneficial to those on low incomes but for every child, every family, so that all pupils are included.
School trips can be great fun for children and staff alike and provide lasting memories. I’m sure everyone who has kindly taken the time to read this proposal can remember their own school trips and what it meant to them growing up. We sincerely hope we can continue to support the school in being able to provide these valuable opportunities. (See attached documents for staff and pupil comments on school trips).
Strathearn Art For Experience (SAFE) Art Group
2025-02-04 • No comments • • South Crieff
Our group Safe Art is dedicated to providing a safe space for adults with mental health difficulties to come along for tea and coffee, to socialise with members in similar situations, and help them out of the isolation that poverty and the current cost of living crisis is causing. Though our Arts Facilitator, we provide many different art and craft projects, some of which are chosen by our group members. Currently we have around eleven regular members who come along to the group each week and a few members who prefer to come every other week. Our group members can join in with group projects, work on individual projects, for example colouring books, knitting, drawing and painting in various media. The group members don't have to be artistic and can also choose to come along purely for the social aspect of being in the group.
Social Isolation is a highlighted issue and is a current challenge for our group members. We are based at the Crieff Community Hospital where it is easy and accessible for everyone who wants to attend. Our group members recognise this venue as a comfortable and safe environment where the group will share their own experiences and challenges, while also recognising the need for confidentiality. Our numbers are steadily increasing with use of posters and word of mouth.
For our group members, the cost of living crisis has created not just a burden on personal budgets, and finances, but also an emotional and mental stress which has had a negative impact on mental health and wellbeing. Our group provides some peer support using the medium of art and crafts as a common interest. Arts and Crafts provide something for us to focus on for a few hours a week. By having a positive outlet some members of the group have now found employment and some have moved onto further education.
This project is for the materials and a facilitator to complete a new group project over 2025. The project will be a mixed media wall hanging of the Eppie Callum Oak Tree which can be found along Lady Mary's Walk in Crieff. This magnificent Oak Tree got its name from the lady who ran the Oakbank Inn, a favourite amongst drovers and it's alleged that the massive tree started its life in a teapot! It is well known for sheltering the notorious outlaw Rob Roy MacGregor from his enemies and aided Bonnie Prince Charlie, who allegedly hid inside its trunk.
We are looking for £2,000 for this project and this cost includes, fees for the art facilitator, a day trip to Stirling Castle where there are many tapestries and wall hangings to gain inspiration from as well as a tapestry studio which shows how the tapestries were made. We would need to pay for transport that would accommodate our disabled members, so that they don't miss out. We are also looking to cover the entry costs to the Castle itself.
For our tapestry, funding is required for a good strong backing to accommodate the size and weight. Materials and threads we will aim to source as sustainably and as cheaply as we can from places such as Remake, Cancer Research, Child after Child and Charity shops, this way we also support local shops in Crieff.
In recent years we took part in PKC's 22 Women project, Raise the Roof, as part of the Scottish Government Year of Stories in 2022. We chose Katie McNiven for our women and we researched all her stories and worked with MoKa to create a clay piece of art which told her story. We hope to make our wall hanging just as impressive and share this magnificent Oak tree and its story with All of Crieff.
Preventing Crisis Together
2025-02-07 • No comments • • Central and North Perth
Letham4All SCIO has been working with a variety of partners in across Perth and Kinross at a very local community level, a dignified and holistic route to reduce the impact of poverty. As a result of this work, Letham4All has successfully piloted the use of the Pay Point Platform and extended to scope of Perth Cards, to provide small amounts of financial support, to help people in immediate financial crisis. Working with existing referral routes this project will provide an additional route for support for those who are not successful with a crisis grant or where a crisis grant is not an appropriate option. The Paypoint Platform enables the sending of utility voucher codes by text a message to a mobile phone that can be redeemed in the usual place people top up their utility cards/keys and the Perth Cards across Perth and Kinross can be used in a variety of shops to purchase food and utilities.
This referral-based support has been accessed by a range of public agencies and 3rd sector organisations who have had no other means of supporting people with financial support to offer a breathing space while longer-term solutions are set up. This has been particularly effective out with traditional working hours and at weekends and support can be organised and delivered within an hour. We know from feedback from agencies that being able to offer this quick solution to those most in need enables is very beneficial to the household, encourages further discussion of longer-term solutions to prevent further crises, and reduces stress and worry. Partners have also told us that being able to use the Pay Point Platform as a means of offering support saves valuable staff time with handling and delivering cash payments for utility tops-ups and is a much faster way of getting support to their clients. To deliver this project Letham4All and its partners use the Citizen Advice Bureau’s information-sharing protocol, The Fast Online Referral Tracking System, FORT. This system enables all partners to see what referrals and support services have been received by a service user eliminating the risk of duplication, and giving support services a clear picture of services received and of any gaps emerging in meeting the needs of the person.
Letham4All will work with existing partners in Central and North Perth to deliver this much-needed support to prevent further the impact of poverty which can result in stress and trauma for many families.
Join our FREE & FUN range of after school clubs in Meigle!
2025-02-07 • No comments • • Coupar Angus, Meigle & Alyth
Meigle Parent Council would like to bring a fun range of clubs to the children of Meigle, Alyth, Coupar Angus and surrounding areas.
We understand that the the cost of living crisis has impacted families to the point that they can no longer afford to pay for their children to attend clubs and classes outside of school. We have also identified that there is a lack of after school activities in the local area.
Our plan is to offer a different club for 8 weeks each term, running from April 2025-April 2026, including art, dance, outdoor skills and yoga & mindfulness. These would be led by experienced instructors within Meigle Kinloch Hall and Belmont Woods for outdoor activities. A healthy snack would also be provided at every session. We intend to give each child that attends the yoga & mindfulness classes a Mindfulness Journal to take home to continue what they will learn in the class.
Children's Mental Heath Charity Place2Be's 2025 theme is 'Know Yourself, Grow Yourself'. We feel that the activities we have selected will give them the safe and supported space to explore their interests that will ultimately help support and enhance their mental wellbeing. We hope that through these classes they develop healthy life skills and habits, boost their self confidence and build resilience to help them cope with whatever life may put their way.
We have based our numbers on approximately 20 children, coming to this number by looking at similar classes that have run in the past in similar sized villages.
Logos, Eat, Repeat
2025-02-07 • 1 comment • • South Crieff
"People who give you their food give you their heart." - Ceasar Chavez
The aim of our Logos, Eat, Repeat Project is to consistently provide free food at after school and evening sessions from May 2025 – March 2026 during term time. This includes toast, fresh fruit and hot/cold drinks.
We've previously had funding to provide food for young people during the holiday periods and would like to extend this offer to cover term times as well (May 2025- March 2026).
Following Maslow' developmental theory, we understand that food is key to growth and progression. By providing free food at each of our sessions, we ensure that all young people have access to a basic need without stigma.
We run 3 after school clubs for high school aged young people and 2 evening clubs, one specifically for S1’s and the other for S2 and over.
We currently offer toast and hot drinks at our sessions but due to the increased demand, we are unable to sustain this. In every evaluation that we have completed the young people have indicated that food is one of the key factors in why they attend the club.
There are young people living in the community who don’t regularly come into the club, but will come to the door and ask for toast because they know Logos is a place where they can get something free to eat.
One young person described: "I think the first time I came was because of the food and drinks but I have grown attached to the club and it's like a second home to me." - Young person aged 15.
We would like to be able to provide free food at each of our After School and evening club sessions from May 2025 – March 2026. This would include hot and cold drinks, toast and fresh fruit.
Young People always ask to cook and bake in their youth club sessions. Along with providing food at our after school clubs, we would also like to offer at least 2 cook and eat sessions per month, whereby the young people are involved in cooking a meal which they can eat together. This would also give them the opportunity to try new healthy foods. We are currently running Soup-A Saturday’s as part of the Warm Space funding, and we would like to be able to offer similar sessions during our evening clubs.
Through our Soup-a Saturday sessions where young people make soup together, we have observed young people improve their team working skills, communication skills, listening skills, responsiveness, resilience and responsibility.
Youth voice and participation is fundamental in our delivery. One of the requests from our young volunteers, many of whom are volunteering as part of their Duke of Edinburgh Award, is to complete their level 2 Food Hygiene. We would like to provide the opportunity for them to complete these awards.