Community groups and good causes across Highland Perthshire have benefited from almost £750,000 worth of funding from energy giant SSE over the past 12 months.
The cash awards have been vital to a string of high profile campaigns, from creating new facilities, to improving the environment and introducing life-saving devices to towns and villages.
SSE’s community investment funds are part of a commitment made during the development of its onshore wind and hydro projects.
In all, 58 groups across the region benefited, with the biggest awards – each in excess of £100,000 – made to major infrastructure projects.
The largest single recipient was the Kenmore in Bloom group, which received £124,000 to rejuvenate the beach and parkland at the head of Loch Tay.
The regeneration was carried out Perth civil engineering firm AGB.
The firm’s Ros Orr said: “We were delighted to be awarded the contract for the beach regeneration in Kenmore, which involved a complete refurbishment and upgrade to restore the beach and enhance this beautiful spot at the head of Loch Tay.
“The consolidation and rebuilding of new walls, along with new walkways onto the beach, enhanced the look and ensured access to the beach is that bit easier.”
Aberfeldy Small Business Association also received a significant award, using its £100,000 grant to support the redevelopment of Aberfeldy Town Square.
That project has been one of the keys to attracting new business and visitors to the town, whose reputation as a hub for leisure tourism has been growing in recent years – aided by the community’s Birks Cinema project.
A third £100,000-plus award was made to Breadalbane Community Football Club to help fund the creation of a new training pitch.
Alyth Youth Partnership received almost £36,000 to support the running costs of its youth service over the next two years, while Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance was backed with £25,000.
Numerous other smaller awards were made to causes across the region, including Dunkeld and Birnam Community Council’s efforts to purchase life-saving community defibrillators.
A network of defibrillators has since been introduced across the community, with residents volunteering to be trained in their use.
Funding decisions for Perthshire and communities across Scotland – which benefited to the tune of £3.1 million in total during 2016 – are taken by independent community panels or trusts.
Jim Hunter, Emeritus Professor of History at the University of the Highlands and Islands and a member of SSE’s Sustainable Development Fund Panel, said: “SSE’s community investment funds provide help that might not otherwise be available, especially in places where it’s difficult to access services and where population may have been falling.
“SSE believes it’s important to give local communities the chance to make a go of projects they’re convinced will improve their locality’s prospects in the future and the scale of the investment shows just what an impact SSE can make.”
