Brain injury charity in Hoogland wins large sum from National Lottery community fund distribution

Click here to sign up for our free newsletters!

A community group helping people with acquired brain injuries in the Highlands has received a five-figure sum from the National Lottery.

Headway Highland will use the large amount of £78,102 raised to continue their programme of group meetings, outings and activities such as walking and gardening.

The foundation offers support to people with NAH, but also to their families and caregivers.

More than 500 community projects are sharing in this latest round of funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, totalling £17,341,549.

The money will be used to bring local people together and provide essential services across Scotland.

Fifty-year-old Mary-Anne Morrison from Inverness was diagnosed with a TBI a few years ago. After struggling with feelings of isolation and lack of self-confidence, she contacted Headway Highland.

Once she joined the group, Mary-Anne quickly began to gain confidence and make new friends, and now volunteers regularly at the charity’s allotment.

Mary-Anne said: “Headway Highland is a fantastic charity that has helped me so much. It’s great to be with people who don’t judge you and are so supportive.

“I have made some wonderful friendships and taken part in so many great activities that I would not have been able to do if I had not been part of Headway Highland.”

Charity Manager Lee Gordon said: “Our support groups are a powerful way for the people we support and their families to find a positive way forward in their lives after the often devastating effects of an acquired brain injury.

“People often suffer alone and when they take the courageous step of coming to one of our support groups, they feel an enormous sense of relief that they are not alone and can begin their journey to recovery. That is why Mary-Anne is such an inspiration to others in our group.

“This funding from the National Lottery Community Fund will allow us to focus on developing Headway Highland to better meet the needs of the people we support.”

Commenting on the new funding, founder Lisa Davidson said: “With this new funding from the National Lottery we will be running three additional needs support groups in the Ross & Cromarty area. These groups will provide these families with a space where they can come together to have fun, try new things and build friendships.

“We offer things like gardening, crafts, baking and games to name a few. These groups are the first of their kind north of Inverness, where many families previously did not have options to get together with their peers or have fun as a family.

“They are truly a lifeline for those who attend, with a huge positive impact. Some attendees reported that they had not been outside for years before our service arrived!”

Kate Still, Chair of the National Lottery Community Fund Scotland, said: “As the National Lottery approaches its 30th anniversary, it’s great to see how funding continues to change lives for the better and what can be achieved when people come together for a common cause or to support each other.

“National Lottery players can be proud that the money they raise is helping people in the Highlands to live happier, healthier lives.”

The National Lottery Community Fund distributes money on behalf of National Lottery players who raise more than £30 million every week for good causes across the UK.

---

Would you like to respond to this article? Click on here to submit your thoughts, which may then be published in print.

---