East Lothian Third Sector Update | 26/08/2025
Welcome to the latest Third Sector Update for East Lothian.
GOVERNMENT & LEGISLATION
East Lothian and Midlothian Public Protection Committee
East Lothian and Midlothian Public Protection Committee has published its Annual Report for 2024/25. Keith Mackay, Chair of the Committee, says “The EMPPC Annual Report summarises our main and key activities carried out by our multi agency partnership over the past year and the achievements and outcomes that have come from this. The last year has been an incredibly busy year for the staff across our wide public protection partnership and the annual report is a celebration of the hard work and achievements gained
EMPPC-Annual-Report-2024-25.pdf
ORGANISATIONAL UPDATES
East Lothian Community Lottery – Launching 1st September!
Get ready for the National Super Draw, going live Monday 1 September and drawn on Saturday 27 September.
National super draw prelaunch pack – multi-cause operator Prize: Win a £1000 Aldi gift card or take the cash or plant 1000 trees! 1st September 2025- 27th September 2025 : Members Area
Your pack includes:
Offer details
Images for web, Instagram, and Welsh versions
“Win £1000 cash or plant 1000 trees” alternative
Template press release and social posts
Materials available on your dashboard from 01/09/2025
🎥 Watch the Super Draw video How to find your super draw marketing materials- multi to see how to access everything.
VOLUNTEER INSIGHTS
Volunteer Scotland Wants Your Feedback
Help shape the future of volunteering in Scotland! Volunteer Scotland is seeking your views on the impact of its services and products since July 2024.
🕒 Survey takes 10–15 minutes
📅 Deadline: Sunday 14 September
🔗 Complete the survey Volunteer Scotland Stakeholder survey
Your feedback will help improve support for volunteers and organisations across Scotland. Responses are confidential and will be published anonymously.
Questions? Contact: Debbie Maltman at
deborah.maltman@volunteerscotland.org.uk
FUNDING & GRANTS
Turtleton Charitable Trust
Grants are available to registered charities in Scotland for charitable projects in the fields of heritage, the arts and education. Grants are usually for between £5,000 and £25,000. Funding is intended for the advancement of the arts, culture and heritage, with a preference for visual arts and heritage. However, other aspects of the arts and culture will also be considered. A small number of applications each year focused on support for the disadvantaged and the advancement of education will be considered.
Deadline: 31 December 2025
https://www.turcanconnell.com/the-turtleton-charitable-trust
Robertson Trust's Community Spaces Fund
Funding is intended to support the running costs of local community centres, hubs or anchor organisations that are delivering and/or hosting a range of services and activities in places with high levels of deprivation. Examples of eligible work include:
The running costs of an accessible community hub based in a town with high levels of deprivation. The hub hosts and delivers services for local people, including community meals, family activities, a youth group and drop-in sessions with partner organisations such as the Citizens Advice Bureau and local employability service.
The running costs of a village hall in a rural community where there are no other community facilities. The hall hosts a range of groups and services, such as a parent and toddler group, a food pantry, and warm space, and provides access to IT facilities.
Grants of between £5,000 and £20,000 per year for up to three years are available to registered charities working in Scotland. Organisations should demonstrate the various services they deliver and/or host related to preventing or reducing poverty and trauma for local people.
Deadline: Ongoing
https://www.therobertsontrust.org.uk/funding/community-spaces-grants/
TRAINING & EVENTS
Need Mental Health Support in East Lothian?
📞 Call 0300 790 6292
🕘 Monday to Friday, 9am–4pm
Adults (18+) can speak directly with NHS professionals, who will guide you to the right service based on your needs.
Support includes:
Mental health services
GP & therapy referrals
Social work & substance use support
Community networks
Creating Local Place Plans with Your Community
📍 The Fraser Centre, Tranent
🗓️ Thursday 2 October
🕖 7–9pm
Join this informal session to learn how your community can shape its future through Local Place Plans—community-led plans that influence how land is used and developed locally.
Experts from the Scottish Community Development Centre and East Lothian Council’s Planning Department will be on hand to explain the basics and answer your questions.
Select tickets – Creating Local Place Plans with your community – The Fraser Centre, Tranent
COMMUNITY & WELLBEING
Help Shape Health & Social Care in East Lothian
East Lothian Integration Joint Board (IJB) is developing its Strategic Plan for 2025–2030, and your views matter!
📅 Have your say by 31 October 2025
The plan will guide how health and social care services are delivered locally. Everyone in East Lothian is invited to share feedback on the draft aims and objectives.
Ways to participate:
Fill in the online survey
Email feedback to: engagement-hscp@eastlothian.gov.uk
Visit: www.eastlothian.gov.uk/ijb-strategic-plan for info and Easy Read versions
Let’s build a plan that reflects the needs and priorities of our community.
OPPORTUNITIES & VACANCIES
Starfish Recovery Café Needs Board Members! Volunteer Opportunity
Starfish Recovery is inviting adults affected by drug or alcohol use to join their Board of Trustees. Help shape a community café that’s breaking stigma and supporting recovery.
Trustee training provided
Travel expenses paid monthly
Must be 18+
Volunteering Opportunities | Volunteer Centre East Lothian — Volunteer Centre East Lothian — VCEL
Ark Support Workers
Location: On site: Within services across Scotland
Salary: up to £24,307
Ark is a major provider of Housing, Care and Support to people with long term and enduring conditions such as learning disabilities, mental health issues, dementia and autism.
Ark supports people to live independently in their own homes providing everything from a few hours a week social and life admin support to 24/7 care supporting with personal care, medication, household tasks, attending appointments and leisure activities.
We have lots of opportunities across Scotland for our Support Worker roles. As we provide full training no previous is experience is required.
If you are enthusiastic about supporting people to live their best lives, then apply now to join our team!
Ark Support Workers with Ark People Housing Care – Goodmoves
