There has been a surge in applications for a festive cash boost for Dumfries and Galloway organisations “in crisis” tackling the cost of living.
Round three of the Community Led Local Development Fund saw a total of 103 groups asking for just under £2.2million – with the cash pot just £407,015.
The challenging task of picking those they could help was down to a local action group of representatives from the third, public, and private sectors, supported by Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway.
Harry Harbottle, chairman of the LAG, said they were pleased to be able to offer the grants to 34 grateful organisations across the region but wished it could have been more.
He said: “Unfortunately, the fund was seriously oversubscribed meaning that we could not help all the deserving causes.
“We are hoping that this fund will be continued next year at a level more commensurate with the need we see across Dumfries and Galloway.
“We will continue to lobby government to make that happen.”
Speaking of the ones who will be getting an early Christmas present to help with the vital work they are doing, he said: “Many of these groups, mostly run by volunteers who are champions in their own communities, are in crisis dealing with vulnerable people suffering the harsh effect of our economic situation.”
He added: “A good few of these grants were for under £10,000 illustrating that, even with relatively small amounts of money, we can make a big difference and demonstrate value for money with the public purse.”
Through partnership working with the LAG members, eight unsuccessful applicants have been linked in with the Employability, Skills and Partnership Team at Dumfries and Galloway Council to discuss funding their employability projects.
The fund was open to charities, constituted community groups, co-operatives, public sector organisations, small and medium-sized enterprises, community interest companies, and community benefit societies.
Many charities and organisations have found it difficult to raise funds in the current economic climate.
The Food Train was awarded £45,000 for its Older People and Hot Food project to providing nutritious hot meals to elderly residents at risk of malnutrition, especially in rural areas, while Propagate (Scotland)’s Dumfries and Galloway Community Food Network received £5,000 to support food-growing initiatives and workshops to address food inequality in rural areas.
The Galloway Food Hub (Propagate Scotland) was awarded £16,524 to expand its food network activities by promoting climate friendly, locally sourced food, and there was £4,270 for Local Initiatives in New Galloway’s Food for Thought: Nourishing Our Younger Generation scheme which will engage young people in food growing and sustainability skill sharing sessions.
UNACCI A’ the Airts’ Meet and Eat Upper Nithsdale received £6,400 to help host meal sessions to support individuals in need and fostering community connections while Lochmaben Community Gardens were awarded £2,000 to help organise a community event on food preservation/storage/cooking and seasonal cooking with expert guidance.
Nith Valley Leaf Trust’ Cooking Skills to Eat Better and Cheaper project has been given £10,936 which will help establish a training kitchen to teach healthier cooking and budgeting skills to local families.
Annan’s Newstart Recycle was granted £3,650 towards its new baby and toddler project of providing essential items like clothing and pushchairs to families in need.
South Machars Community Centre was gifted £1,720 for a food festival it is hosting to promote local, sustainable produce and to provide environmental education, and £3,906 will aid Springholm Memorial Hall Committee to restore it as a community hub and establish a community pantry to support residents.
Stranraer Millennium Centre Community Trust’s Can’t Cook, Will Cook project has received £3,919 to provide cooking sessions for families to teach them how to prepare a healthy meal and to promote affordable, nutritious eating.
As well as “helping communities to address the cost-of-living crisis and eradicate poverty for individuals and families” being a priority for this year’s funding, groups could also apply if they were working to “sustain, improve, and add initiatives in rural communities that are most isolated, most disconnected, most in need of investment or most likely to experience inequalities”
nd also needing funding to carry out research, community needs assessments and feasibility studies as part of local place plan development, wanting to contribute to the achievement of net zero.
One of the successful organisations is Home-Start Wigtownshire with £5,868 going towards extending a family support co-ordinator role to provide holistic family support during the Perinatal Mental Health period. Claire McKie, senior co-ordinator, said: “The fund’s support will help us ensure children have the best possible opportunities to flourish, by nurturing and supporting families in our community.”
Another organisation to benefit is Auchencairn Initiative with £2,532 to improve accessibility in the community garden with wheelchair friendly paths and safety improvements.
Rokpa Trust Lothlorien Community in Eskdalemuir has been awarded £13,000 for its Growing Nature Connections of providing outdoor facilities and space to support nature-based programs which will improve mental health through social prescribing.
The £2,500 for Parents Inclusion Network, which supports families with children who have disabilities, will fund an inclusive pantomime experience at the Theatre Royal in Dumfries and at the Ryan Centre in Stranraer, and £4,817 will help The Fullarton Theatre in Castle Douglas install a Dolby Accessibility System for hearing and visually impaired patrons.
The Stove Network in Dumfries has been awarded £13,040 for a Community Print Room for marginalised groups to explore creative self-expression through different forms of media.
Upper Eskdale Development Group’s bid to make its Hub more resilient with solar panels has been given a £32,900 boost, and the Trad Music Trust will use its £49,747 award to expand its arts programme and create a carbon-neutral community hub in the Vault Arts Centre.
Balmaclellan Village Hall will receive £20,100 to replace the heating system and improving insulation, with Lockerbie Squash and Racketball Club gaining £17,000 to install solar panels to lower energy costs.
Plans to decarbonise the CatStrand venue by installing heat pumps and solar panels has seen the Glenkens Community and Arts Trust receive £42,161 to help make it happen. And there is £5,000 for the Back to Black initiative at Palnackie Village Shop to help improve energy efficiency by upgrading insulation and replacing outdated equipment.
Cash has also gone to projects which will make a difference in rural communities.
Annan The History Town Group have been awarded £4,980 for its Forging Our History Project which is engaging the community in creating a public art centrepiece with traditional blacksmithing workshops, and Annan Bowling Club has been given £400 for health and safety improvements for elderly members including bowl gatherers and replacing slippery mats.
A £5,000 grant will help Building Futures Galloway provide youth stonemasonry training so that young people learn the traditional skills and gain professional qualifications.
Dumfries Pipe Band will spend its £1,800 allocation on professional tutors and costs for regular use of the Troqueer
Community Hall, and LGBT Youth Scotland has £5,262 to host rural Pop-Up Pride events to enhance access to LGBTQ+ support for isolated young people.
Wigtown Festival Company has been awarded £21,700 to renovate a new base at 26 South Main Street to host community services and enhance local engagement, and Building Futures Galloway has plans for its £7,545 share to Net Zero Retrofit Whithorn – reducing carbon emissions in heritage buildings while training young people in construction skills.
Creative Stranraer will spend its £8,334 award on an Open Doors project offering free creative workshops for young people and families.
Haugh of Urr Village Hall SCIO has been gifted £11,000 towards its village hall extension refurbishment and the Machars and Cree Valley Climate Action Network will use the £5,000 award to organise events to educate rural communities about climate change and inspire collective action.
A fabulous £24,000 will be spent on Wigtown Bay Coastal Rowing Club’s Isle of Whithorn community boatshed build phase 3 which will give access to coastal activities for all ages and abilities.