The People’s Projects gives you the chance to decide how National Lottery funding can make a difference in the East of Scotland.

Five good causes, all hoping to improve their local area, are competing for your vote.

Here they are:

Daisy Drop In

Project: The Daisy Family & Parenting Support TEAM (Toolkit of Early Action Measures)

The Daisy Drop In project is a volunteer-run charity based in Livingston which runs a drop in and information centre for parents and carers of preschool children in the area.

The centre offers a variety of activities including: messy play, music and rhythm, young mum’s group, get cooking classes and a baby playgroup.

Iris Cancer Partnership

Project: Iris Cancer Partnership – Increasing free cancer care massage availability throughout Scotland, one clinic at a time

The Iris Cancer Partnership provides free massage treatments to people living with cancer at a number of locations around the country including Dumfries, Edinburgh and Larbert.

The partnership trains therapists how to safely massage people who have cancer, with over 300 specialists completing the training and is aiming to open 20 to 25 more clinics throughout Scotland.

Methilhill Community Children’s Initiative

Project: Charlie’s Shed

The Methilhill Children’s Initiative run a programme of activities for young people in the area including an outdoor youth group, a nature tots class and the community garden which allows the children to plant and grow their own fruit and vegetables.

The project would like to build a large shed which will have a kitchen and a multi-purpose area. This would allow for further development in the learning within garden groups as they will be able to incorporate preparing and cooking the food that they have already planted and grown.

Southside Elderly Club

Project: Sunshine On Southside

Southside Elderly Club provides a weekly lunch club, physical activity sessions and day trips to help relieve social isolation amongst the elderly people in the Asian community.

The club want to continue to promote a healthy lifestyle for its attendees by introducing a range of activities such as, tai chi, yoga and indoor bowls.

Organisation: The Wave Project

The Wave Project Surf Club – Changing lives through surfing

The wave project is a mental health project that seeks to help young people overcome whatever challenges they face in their everyday lives through a unique combination of peer mentoring, surfing, the outdoors and friendship.

The project hopes to make surf club sessions more regular and sustain the improvements people have made on their courses by providing additional sessions for people who have completed the course.

The People’s Projects is a joint venture between STV and the Big Lottery Fund. The three organisations which receive the highest number of votes will receive up to £50,000 each. The remaining two organisations from each region may receive up to £5000 each. The process is independently adjudicated by Electoral Reform Services.

To vote go to thepeoplesprojects.org.uk

You can only vote once per region and you’ll need an email address to vote.

Voting closes on Sunday, March 13 at midday. Votes received after this time will not count. For an alternative way to vote call freephone 0800 197 8610.

For Voting Terms & Conditions please click here.