No matter what the weather has in store, it’s going to be a summer to remember for community groups across Scotland as National Lottery Award for All Scotland today announces a bumper package of grants worth £1.1 million.
Thanks to the generosity of National Lottery players, 167 groups are sharing in £1,107,301 from the fund, which makes grants from £300 to £10,000 to voluntary and community groups across the country.
Eleven Edinburgh-based projects receive funding in the latest round of grants (see full list below). Among them are Heart of Newhaven, who receive £10,000 to carry out a community consultation to harness support for acquiring Victoria Primary School for community use.
There’s funding, too, for Craigmillar Literacy Trust, Magdalene Community Centre, Oxgangs Care and South Edinburgh Day Care Volunteers Forum.
In the Scottish Borders an award of £4,818 to Peebles Orchestra means they can put on a choral performance in the town as part of the annual Creative Peebles Festival, which takes place in the last week of August.
Community choirs from across the region will gather together to rehearse their performance which will be accompanied by a 40-piece orchestra.
Chris Dubé, Chair, Peebles Orchestra, said, “We are thrilled to receive this award from National Lottery Awards for All. The Peebles Orchestra really want to engage more with the local community and give people in our town an opportunity to make and enjoy music together.
“With this funding, we can put on our first Come and Sing! event, in collaboration with the local Creative Peebles Arts Festival. The award means we can give people the best possible experience, singing Mozart’s well-loved Requiem, with a full orchestra, professional soloists and a top conductor. We are all looking forward to gather together as a community of music lovers to create something wonderful together.”
In South Ayrshire, Forehill, Holmston & Masonhill Community Council (FHMCC) receives £1,970 to organise and run a free summer community fete on Saturday 13 July 2019.
Anne Miller, Secretary, said: “We are holding a community get-together where all age groups will get the chance to meet up with friends, neighbours and family. Because of this grant we will have something for everyone in our community – children’s entertainment and games, a youth bus for the teens, stalls and tombolas for parents and a wheelchair friendly bus to collect and return our elderly residents to and from the event.
“FHMCC are working towards making our wee corner of the world an even better place in which to live and work and thanks to this National Lottery funding we have been able to take a huge step forward in fostering community spirit.”
Meanwhile, in Dumfries, children and young people will be enjoying a summer holiday programme of activities, thanks to a grant of £10,000 awarded to Dumfries YMCA.
Dean Goddard, Association Manager, Dumfries YMCA Centre, said: “This grant from National Lottery Awards for All will enable us to put together a daily Summer Holiday Programme for local young people, which offers an exciting mix of activities, entertainments and trips.
“The summer break can be a long and difficult time for families and Dumfries YMCA is using the grant to make sure the children and young people they work with will be safe, engaged and nurtured.”
A National Lottery Awards for All Scotland spokesperson said: “With summer in full swing, today’s £1.1 million funding boost will provide a wide range of community, sport and arts activities for people and families across the country.
“Whether it’s a junior chef summer school in Stirling, a community fete in Ayr or musical extravaganza in Peebles, this funding will have a huge impact bringing people together to have fun, learn new skills and meet their neighbours.”
National Lottery Awards for All Scotland is now more straightforward to apply to and faster to get funding from. Applications are received on a rolling basis and can be received at any time.
To find out what National Lottery Awards for All Scotland could do for your community visit our website https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/ or phone 0300 123 7110.
Website: https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/