This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Scotland launch of Red Nose Day
10/02/2003
Comedian Lenny Henry was in Edinburgh today to meet Social Justice Minister Margaret Curran and see how Comic Relief cash is used in Scotland ahead of Red Nose Day 2003 on March 14.
Almost £1.4 million has been allocated to 51 projects north of the border since the last Red Nose Day in 2001 which raises money to tackle poverty in the UK and Africa.
These include help for Edinburgh Women's Aid which runs six refuges across the city and have received £33,000.
Ms Curran said:
"Comic Relief Funding makes a real difference to a huge range of projects all over Scotland including those tackling domestic abuse.
"It is absolutely vital that we help raise awareness about domestic violence. Women and children are suffering all over the UK and we need projects like Edinburgh Women's Aid to offer much needed support."
Other Comic Relief projects in Scotland include working with vulnerable older people in Shetland, supporting people with learning disabilities in Dunfermline and people with mental health problems in Aberdeen.
This year's Red Nose Day theme is 'the Big Hair Do' and people are invited to get creative in dreaming up ways of raising money.
A Red Nose fund-raising kit can be obtained online from www.rednoseday.com or by calling 09065 500 500 (calls cost no more than £1.50 to cover postage and packing) or by texting the word 'kit' with name, address and postcode to 81190 (at cost of £1.50 plus texting charge).