Community groups and charities across Dumfries and Galloway are celebrating this week after successful applications worth over £637,000 to the National Lottery and The Robertson Trust.
From the National Lottery, A Listening Ear received £63,880 to pilot the development and expansion of their phone befriending service to 100 socially isolated people in Dumfries and Galloway.
They will engage 60 volunteers to offer tailored support to referred people (phone friends), usually consisting of a weekly phone call with the offer of occasional café-style group meetings (The Friendly Cup) in public spaces, as well as signposting and advocacy.
LGBT Youth Scotland has £199,943 to support LGBTQ+ young people living in Dumfries and Galloway to improve their mental health and wellbeing, build personal resilience, reduce isolation and develop stronger connections within their communities.
LIFT D+G CIC was awarded £90,617 to deliver a range of community-led activities engaging people living in the Lochside community in Northwest Dumfries. The project will address social isolation and improve health and wellbeing with a focus on activities to tackle social and economic disadvantage.
Auchencairn Initiative was awarded £6,000 for an air source heat pump to heat the group’s premises, which includes a community shop and cafe, a childcare service, and a housing unit.
Castle Douglas Development Forum got £7,000 to enhance its community garden and provide skills workshops to be targeted at local young people.
Colvend and Southwick Community Council received £10,000 to install a shelter at the community-owned and managed Kippford Nature Reserve.
Langholm’s Creation Mill C.I.C will use £5,180 to deliver weekly mending sessions and sustainability focused workshops open to everyone in the community.
Glencairn Memorial Institute’s £5,000 award will purchase and install a new boiler system in their rurally isolated community hall to improve its sustainability.
Keir, Penpont and Tynron Development Trust get £9,130 for a garden advisor to support the longer-term development of their community garden and upskill local people.
Kirkcudbright Book Week Society will use £700 to bring four authors to deliver free talks and workshops for children and adults who might not normally attend the ticketed events at the book week.
Langholm Community Centre received £5,000 to meet rising costs and keep hires of its facility affordable to the community groups which use it.
Lockerbie Gala and Riding of the Marches has £5,000 to support their community’s annual Gala and Riding of the Marches events programme.
Machars and Cree Valley Climate Action Network’s £8,869 will employ a part-time Co-ordinator and drive forwards community led environmental action in the Machars and Cree Valley area.
Men’s Shed Dumfries received £10,000 to increase their capacity to promote their activities, provide opportunities for volunteer training and continue to deliver their activities.
Stranraer Development Trust will use £33,000 to run a programme of community garden and horticulture-based activities and events.
The group will work with local groups to improve physical and mental heath and tackle food poverty. The project will build growing skills for people of all ages and abilities and complement this with a series of events.
The Rotary Club of Castle Douglas was awarded £720 to provide an afternoon of Christmas celebrations and activities at the Town Hall, free of charge.
Wigtownshire Women and Cancer collect £10,000 to employ a freelance administrator to support the growth of the organisation and its registration as a charity. The group currently provides befriending and facilitates peer support, care boxes, respite breaks, and wellbeing activities.
Successfully applying to The Robertson Trust Kate’s Kitchen was given a large grant of £75,000 to cover running costs.
Inspired Community Enterprise Trust was also successful with a large grant application receiving £90,000 to cover core running costs.
A wee grant of £2,000 was given to Langholm Community Centre, again to cover running costs.