A healthy lifestyle project for youngsters in Leith has been given an extra boost thanks to a leading regional builder.
Pilmeny Youth Centre has received £1000 from Persimmon Homes East Scotland to help develop a sports and healthy lifestyle project for children aged 5-11 years after parents raised concerns at the lack of out of school activities in the area.
Pilmeny Youth Centre, based in Lorne and Pilrig, will manage the project in partnership with Redpath Albion and Pilmeny Sports Club offering sports activities including football, basketball and hockey on weekday evenings and Sunday mornings.
Drawing over 60 youngsters from six local primary schools the activities will be held at Pilrig Park and Pilrig Special Needs School which adjoins the new Persimmon Homes East Scotland development, Silverfields.
Pilmeny Youth Centre’s Business & Programmes Manager, Bryan Maughan, said: “This is wonderful news. We’re now in a position to progress with our plans for children’s sports sessions.
“Persimmon Homes will now endorse and support the Tuesday evening and Sunday morning sports sessions and the very generous financial support will enable us purchase the sports equipment required.”
The Pilmeny Youth Centre has existing links with Persimmon after its WW1 Centenary Project successfully proposed the names for two of the street within the Silverfields site as a tribute to the 216 Leith men and boys killed in the Gretna train disaster in 1915. The street were named Gretna Mews and Quintinshill Place.
Jim Kirkpatrick, managing director at Persimmon Homes East Scotland, said: “The Community Champions initiative was set up to support groups and charities in the towns and cities where we work.
“Pilmeny Youth Centre is a perfect example of a local group that works hard to improve facilities for local people and we are proud to be associated with them.”
The donation is part of Persimmon Homes East Scotland’s Community Champions project, which will see a fund of £24,000 donated to local groups and charities over the next 12 months throughout its region.
Two groups will now be chosen every month to receive a match-funding donation and organisations are being encouraged to apply by completing an online form at www.persimmonhomes.com
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