The Big Lottery Fund has announced over £10m of funding for projects across Scotland to improve community spaces. From a plot which will become a community garden in Auchinleck to a 40 acre community woodland in Peterhead the list is both impressive and imaginative.
Edinburgh has not been missed out from the funding announced today. Two projects will benefit from the money handed out for good causes.
The Crags Community Sports Centre is to receive £61,633 from the Big Lottery Fund for a project which will improve the facilities surrounding, and access to, the sports centre, benefitting over 500 local children, young people and residents.
The group will install a traverse wall, create a bicycle storage space, open a community garden and carry out improvements to an access path leading to the centre. The centre provides a range of fitness classes and activities for local residents as well as a meeting space for local groups. You can find out about them here.
But the big winner from today’s announcement of funding is Craigmillar Community Arts who will receive £211,768 for a project to carry out major refurbishment of their arts centre in a Grade B listed former church which has poor heating, ventilation and access issues. It is estimated that 7000 people will benefit from the refurbishment which includes the installation of a mezzanine floor, improved access to the basement with increased storage, installation of a stage, and improved kitchen and heating.
Announcing the funding, totalling £10,365,287, Big Lottery Fund, Scotland Chair, Maureen McGinn, said: “Our Community Spaces programme allows local people to get together and shape their neighbourhood by making better use of outdoor and indoor spaces. Today’s investment allows for the development, improvement and creation of village halls, community gardens, art centres, sports and play facilities. For some areas, the refurbishment of a village hall will create a welcoming centre which can support a range of activities. For others, the transformation of a disused space offers a secure recreational place for everyone to enjoy.”
The Big Lottery Fund is a pool of money raised from the National Lottery which is given to communities and charitable causes. The fund has handed out almost £6bn since 2004.
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