GREEN LIGHT FOR CREATION OF MULTI MILLION LIFE CHANGES TRUST

The Big Lottery Fund (BIG) has today taken a major step forward in the creation of a fully independent £50 million trust. Over the next ten years the Life Changes Trust will look to transform the lives of young people leaving care and the lives of people with dementia & their carers in Scotland.

Today BIG announced the work, to establish an independent board of trustees to direct this landmark investment, has begun. Over the next six months the creation of a fully independent charitable trust will be guided by a Set up Board chaired by Dual Mackie.

Maureen McGinn, Chair of the Big Lottery Fund Scotland Committee, said: “Today’s news means we are now a huge step closer to seeing the Life Changes Trust open for business. This new independent charitable trust will be able to offer targeted and specific help to young people leaving care and people newly diagnosed with dementia and their carers. Over the next decade, we believe the Life Changes Trust has the potential to deliver long-term transformational change for these people facing the greatest need.

“The first step is the appointment of Mr Dugald Mackie as chair of the Set up Board. Over the next six months he will oversee the process of legally creating the Life Changes Trust and ensuring the right people are in place to take forward the Trust's work as soon as it is established.”

Dugald Mackie said: “The Life Changes Trust has the scope to offer a step change for many people living in Scotland. As an independent charitable trust financed by the Big Lottery Fund it will be able to work in an innovative manner to ensure that those in greatest need get the help they require. My role will allow the work establishing the Trust to move forward so the full Trust board can be appointed in a timely manner.”

BIG has been working with a partnership headed by the The Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland* (The Alliance) and comprising of Scottish Community Foundation, Glasgow Council for the Voluntary Sector and Who Cares? Scotland on the structure, set-up and governance of the Trust as well as its delivery plans. The partnership has received significant development funds from BIG to undertake this vital work.

Ian Welsh, Chief Executive of The Alliance, welcomed today’s news. He said: “Our consortium is delighted to move forward with the creation of the Life Changes Trust. The substantial business and investment planning we have done so far is to ensure that the Trust has substantial and lasting impact for young care leavers and people with dementia and their carers. Now, through co-operation, co-production, and working in partnership with a range of stakeholders, we are determined, through effective and inclusive delivery plans, to achieve long-term transformational change which will enable these groups to live well through their life changes.”

John Swinney, Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth, said: "It is encouraging to see further developments being made in the creation of the Life Changes Trust and I am very much looking forward to seeing the positive impact that it will have on some of the most vulnerable in our society.

"The £50 million planned investment will have the power to transform the lives of people across the country by providing new opportunities for those leaving care and those living with, or caring for, older people with dementia."

It is anticipated that the establishment of the Life Changes Trust will take six months and that the Trust will be open for business in Spring 2013.

*The Health and Social Care Alliance is the new name for the organisation formally known as the Long Term Conditions Alliance