Community groups in Perth and Kinross are celebrating after being awarded a share of more than £3 million of National Lottery cash.
The latest round of small grants from Awards for All benefit 464 groups, schools, charities, sports clubs, arts projects and heritage schemes across Scotland.
Each will use the cash to help people take part in a variety of art, sport, heritage and community activities, together with projects that promote education, the environment and health in the local community.
Among the successful applicants are eight groups from Perth and Kinross, who have secured a total of £61,521 funding.
Of those, a full half received the maximum £10,000 grant, including Perth’s North Muirton Primary School, which will use the grant to fund the purchase of computing and reading resources for its learning resource centre.
Similar grants were awarded to the West Carse Public Hall in order to allow major exterior repair work to its brickwork and roof and to the Ascension Trust (Scotland), which aims to set up 14 new street pastor groups around the country.
Meanwhile, Perth and Kinross Council’s Housing and Community Care Service will use its £10,000 to run a music and drama programme for adults with moderate to profound and multiple learning disabilities.
Project leaders hope to see the participants produce and perform in a film and live music performance, developing their self expression and communication skills as they do so.
Smaller lottery grants have also gone to the Muthill Public Hall Committee (£7375) to enable it to prepare a community action plan that will identify the needs of the local community and to the Perth and Kinross Association of Voluntary Services, whose £2215 will enable it to instal a wooden shed with office equipment at their Community RePaint Perth project.
Andrew’s Book has received £5549 to compile and publish a book celebrating the writing of adult literacy learners in Perth and Kinross. It will then be used as a resource by learners and tutors to encourage people to begin or continue writing.
Finally, the East of Scotland Beekeepers Association has received £6382 to enable it to establish a communal apiary between Longforgan and Knapp, near Dundee. The resource will be available to people living in the local area who are interested in learning about keeping bees. Initially, the grant will support the creation of ten bee hives.
Elsewhere in Tayside, people who are blind or are visually impaired will be able to enjoy live football, thanks to an award of £2860 to the Dundee Blind and Partially Sighted Society.
With the group’s existing broadcasting and receiving equipment on its last legs, local sports fans who are blind or visually impaired have to sit in the back row of the city’s stadiums, within a receiving range of the commentator.
With new equipment, they will be able to become more independent, enjoy the new season of football with family and friends seated in any part of Dens Park or Tannadice.
In Angus, The Smokie Blues Organisation received £10,000 for a three-day blues and jazz festival for locals and tourists. It’s expected to take place in Carnoustie between September 17 and 19.
An Awards for All spokesman said, “Whether it’s restoring an historical site to its former glory, providing respite for carers, staging a music festival or providing arts classes for older people, the Awards for All scheme has the potential to touch the lives of everyone across Scotland.”
Photo used under Creative Commons licence courtesy of Wikimedia Commons user Wonderfool.