Two Edinburgh Scout centres risk staying closed permanently as charities face financial crisis

Future of Bonaly and Longcraig campsites in ‘grave jeopardy’

TWO Scout activity centres in Edinburgh may never reopen after the coronavirus lockdown as youth work charities struggle for cash.

Scouts Scotland chief executive Katie Docherty said the future of the campsites and residential centres at Bonaly and Longcraig, South Queensferry, was in “grave jeopardy”.

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The centres normally run week-long residentials for schools and evening and weekend sessions for young people from various youth organisations, including outdoor learning, STEM training, adventure activities and, at Longcraig, canoeing and sailing.

Ms Docherty said Scouts Scotland had lost around £1.5 million so far - about 50 per cent of its annual income - because it had had to close all its residential centres and cancel events and is not eligible for Scottish Government support.

And she said other youth work organisations, like the Guides, Boys’ Brigade and Prince’s Trust, are all in the same position.

She said: “Although the government set up all these funds for charities, only those delivering Covid-related frontline services, like sheltering the homeless and foodbanks, or charities that are going to shut tomorrow can get support. Everybody else has been left completely without any support.

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“We’ve been writing to ministers since early March to raise these issues and it’s been taking six weeks to two months before anyone will reply and then all they do is redirect us back to the funds we’re not eligible for in the first place. It’s very frustrating.”

Ms Docherty said youth work was not even mentioned in the Scottish Government’s “route map” out of lockdown. “We have no idea when we can reopen or how we can reopen and we can’t get anyone in government to talk to us about it.”

Edinburgh Southern Labour MSP Daniel Johnson said charities were facing a financial crisis. “It’s clear that steps taken by SNP Ministers are not enough,” he said.

The Scottish Government said the Third Sector Resilience Fund covered core costs, not lost income, and charities with significant reserves might be asked to reapply when their reserves were lower.

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A spokesman said: “Across Scotland, youth work charities including local Scout groups have already been awarded funding from the Third Sector Resilience Fund in recognition of the very important work they carry out – and to suggest that they are ineligible for funding is totally inaccurate.”

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