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A SIGNIFICANT financial injection has bolstered a Scottish charity dedicated to supporting people impacted by addictions, mental health challenges and social isolation.

This funding has enabled 1st Step to enhance its comprehensive support network, providing funding for a new coordinator and a volunteer support worker to serve across Linlithgow and Falkirk.

Made possible through a £20,000 donation from the Scottish Procurement Alliance’s (SPA) Community Benefit Fund (CBF), 1st Step also developed a food-sourcing strategy to meet the ongoing demand for its local food pantries.

Maria Throp, Development Manager from 1st Step said: “SPA has been critical in enabling us to have the capacity and resources to develop much-needed food security and social support in our local communities.

“Importantly, this investment has enabled us to create valuable supported volunteer opportunities with life-changing outcomes. 

“Many of our volunteers have reclaimed their lives through gaining a sense of purpose and feeling more connected to their community because they are actively improving the lives of others" 

Since its inception in October 2018, 1st Step has addressed a significant need for social and volunteer opportunities for people in recovery.

It has become a community cornerstone, offering safe spaces for socialisation, skill development, and positive peer interactions.

The charity also benefits from advanced monitoring tools that help capture and evaluate data from their social value activities, aiding further funding applications and development.

Operating across multiple sites in Linlithgow and Falkirk, the charity offers various engagement activities and manages two cafes that use produce from their community garden.

The café in Falkirk also features a food pantry to provide essential items to those in need. Additionally, the charity runs a fully equipped bike workshop, generating revenue through bike sales and donating repaired bikes to support community mobility.

Lesley Anderson, Regional Director of SPA, said: “Over the past five years, the Community Benefit Fund has profoundly impacted Scottish communities, with SPA being able to award £910,000 with an additional £1,152,250.17 sourced through match funding.

“From supporting educational programmes to enhancing local healthcare, we're not just funding projects, we’re helping people to unlock the potential of communities across Scotland by providing solid financial support to vital initiatives like 1st Step.

“The work and support 1st Step offers is truly incredible, having met the volunteers and participants of the service and hearing their stories.

“They are a community-centric organisation with strong values and beliefs in providing dignified help and support available to everyone offering a vast range of opportunities through trust, employment, training and inspiring mentorship.

“Witnessing the benefits 1st Step creates within the community and to be able to help them expand even further and support more people is something we are incredibly proud to have been part of.”

As a not-for-profit organisation, SPA retains its running costs and distributes any surplus back into the community through several people-focused initiatives, including its CBF.

The fund is available to its 14 committee partners consisting of local authorities, small and large housing associations, and co-operatives.

Each year the 14 committee partners can apply for a portion of the £140,000 fund for projects that transform and support communities through social inclusion, digital participation, employability, and other social benefits.

SPA is Scotland’s largest free-to-join procurement organisation for public sector bodies and manages over 600 active projects worth £1.1 billion and supports 260+ suppliers.

The organisation’s frameworks ensure that public sector entities, including housing associations and the NHS, achieve optimal value for money while adhering to compliance standards.

SPA’s model ensures that any surplus is reinvested into community-focused initiatives, demonstrating a sustainable approach to business and community development.

The CBF’s reach and influence continue to grow, with ongoing projects such as digital inclusion programs and apprenticeship support funds making significant contributions to Scottish society.