Micro Grant Fund
In addition to our Small Grants programme, we also run our Micro Grants programme. Awards given under this programme have a value of up to £1,000 but in reality, most awards are much smaller. The impact of such awards can often be overlooked as the grant amounts involved are much smaller and the projects often less visible. We’d like to celebrate some of these here, both to illustrate the kind of projects that might be covered by a micro grant, and to illustrate how receiving unrestricted donations, whatever the size, can help the charity to benefit many different areas across the community in Fife.
The small grants case studies here also help to illustrate just how funding can be used across different areas of the community to benefit a number of groups and causes.
In these studies, the beneficiaries can be broken down into six key areas. These will differ each quarter depending on the applications we receive and the projects which are eventually selected for an award.
Funding by target area
Winter Flourish Festival–Stratheden 17-19 December 2024
Winter Wonderland has grown year on year since its first year as a single day within the Flourish Gardens in Stratheden hospital in 2020.
At that time it was designed exclusively for in-patients during the restrictions imposed during Covid. Always well attended, this year’s Winter Wonderland was bigger, went on longer and was attended by more staff and patients than ever – around 80-90 in total from hospitals, community and care homes.
Four years on we are very grateful to Fife Health Charity who have supported the event annually as Winter Wonderland has grown and established itself within the hospital calendar and gained a reputation amongst patients and staff as something everyone looks forward to.
In previous years the event was contained to the Flourish garden venue over 1 or 2 days with the number of on-site activities increasing. However this year the event was expanded to a 3 day event with on-site activities such as wreath making, themed fairground games, carols and karaoke all washed down with festive food and mulled wine tasting and some old-fashioned home baking and soups.
A special thanks goes to all the Mental Health Occupational Therapy and Music Therapy staff across Fife who contributed both to the planning of the event and activities. Their time, skills and enthusiasm made this a successful and memorable event for all who attended. It is also worth noting the contribution of patients in preparation for the event, which was incorporated into scheduled therapeutic sessions in the lead up to the event, in addition to volunteering their time to support the running of some of the activities on the day.
Fife Health Charity also continue to support Fife-wide ward-based Christmas activities and Christmas lunches for staff with over £29,000 of funding in 2024, which included a Christmas gift for every patient on Christmas morning.
Micro Grant fund
Charity outcome: Improve patients' experience
Participants' feedback
One of the best days of my life. Such a great vibe, beautiful, mulled wine, happy faces around.
What a really chilled out afternoon!
Loved being able to take time away from usual role to support service users to enjoy, relax and participate in creative activities. They really seemed to value it.
Nice variety of events, lovely decorations, plenty of ways to participate. Very enjoyable!
Magical. Long may it last!
Complementary therapy in Victoria Hospice
Fife Health Charity has provided funding for patients in Victoria Hospice to benefit from complementary therapy for over 9 years. Patients and family members can benefit from treatments including reflexology, aromatherapy, massage, and reiki to help them relax and reduce stress. These therapies promote calm by quieting emotions and relieving anxiety. Complementary therapies, and touch therapies such as massage and reflexology in particular, can provide a welcome distraction from illness for those that need it most. Physically, therapy can help alleviate pain and nausea as well as improving sleep and promoting a sense of wellbeing.
Micro Grant fund
Charity outcome: Improve patients' experience
What is massage therapy?
Massage is a technique that applies pressure to parts of the body. A therapist uses techniques such as stroking, kneading, tapping or pressing. It aims to relax you mentally and physically. Like other complementary therapies such as reiki, reflexology and aromatherapy, massage can help lift your mood, improve your sleep and enhance your wellbeing.
It’s like a miracle.
The Reiki has helped me sleep better and feel less pain
