News

Thirty-four projects across Dumfries and Galloway are sharing £407,015 of funding to help support communities and tackle the cost of living. Round three of the Community Led Local Development Fund saw a total of 103 applications asking for just under £2.2million. A Local Action Group (LAG) made up of representatives from the third, public, and… Read more »

The TSI Scotland Network is calling on Government to ensure communities and a sustainably funded third sector are at the heart of public service reform.  In advance of the Scottish budget on 4th December, the Network has four asks:- Ask 1: Invest in collaborative third sector delivery models to support public sector reform Ask 2: Fairer… Read more »

Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway’s Chief Executive Officer has joined national criticism of the Chancellor’s response to a call for a third sector exemption to planned increases in National Insurance (NI) contributions. Alan Webb shared his disappointment after Rachel Reeves confirmed there would be no mitigations provided to deal with the increased cost. Both he… Read more »

The Galloway Action Team (GAT) has just been awarded The King’s Award for Voluntary Service. This is the highest award a local voluntary group can receive in the UK and is equivalent to an MBE. GAT is one of only 281 local charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups in the whole of the UK to… Read more »

Wigtown Book Festival has won the title for the country’s most Outstanding Cultural Event or Festival at the annual Scottish Thistle Awards. The prestigious awards, organised by VisitScotland (with headline sponsor Johnstons of Elgin) are an annual celebration of innovation, collaboration and sheer excellence in the tourism and events sector. The organisers say that the… Read more »

The impact of a planned increase in employer’s National Insurance (NI) Contributions has prompted a call from Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway (TSDG) to cap charity rates at the current level. Chancellor Rachel Reeves said employers will pay NI at a rate of 15 per cent on salaries above £5,000 from April, up from 13.8… Read more »

Dumfries and Galloway Council are seeking your views to help prioritise and set new equality outcomes for those living, working and learning in Dumfries and Galloway. The last equality outcomes were developed and set four years ago, with the next four-year phase beginning in 2025. The council want to know what is important to members… Read more »

SHAX, an established homeless support charity in Dumfries and Galloway, has recently appointed Colin Callander-Bone as the new chief. Colin, who has a strong retail and people management background, took over the role from Joyce Harkness, who after 10 years at the helm, retired from her role as the Social Enterprise Manager at SHAX on… Read more »

After 25 years working in third sector roles in Dumfries and Galloway, Joyce Harkness has retired from her role as Social Enterprise Manager at SHAX. Joyce has enjoyed a varied career within the sector and has made a considerable impact along the way. After graduating from The University of Glasgow in 1980, Joyce honed her… Read more »

The fourth round of the Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund is now open in Dumfries and Galloway, with £440,157 available to community groups and organisations. The ambition of the Scottish Government fund is to support initiatives that promote mental health and wellbeing at a small scale, grass roots, community level to those aged 16… Read more »

A full-day conference for the third sector has showcased its scale in Dumfries and Galloway. Almost 100 representatives from charities and community groups across the region came together at the event this month hosted by Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway. Build Innovate Sustain was centred around community health and wellbeing and highlighted its impact in… Read more »

Nominations have opened for next year’s King’s Award for Voluntary Service (KAVS). The KAVS aims to recognise local volunteering groups across the UK and is the country’s highest volunteering award. Eligible groups must be made up of three or more people and it must have been operating for at least three years. The group must… Read more »

A conference for unpaid carers in Dumfries and Galloway will be held in Easterbrook Hall on Thursday 10th October.  This will be the second year of the event, which aims to bring unpaid carers and support organisations together to understand the needs of unpaid carers and to showcase the wide range of organisations that can… Read more »

Update from Alan Webb, CEO for Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway “Colleagues, you will likely have seen recent coverage about the Scottish Government applying further restrictions on ‘avoidable spend’ to mean pausing all spending other than legally committed, emergency or important economic investment. “We are already seeing cuts to multi-year commitments, those already promised –… Read more »

The TSI Scotland Network has responded to an inquiry by the Social Justice and Social Security Committee at the Scottish Parliament into third sector funding. The Committee is considering third sector funding principles, and the Network’s response outlines the unprecedented challenges facing voluntary and community organisations. It also provides examples of good funding practice, and… Read more »

Peter Pan Moat Brae Trust have announced that the visitor centre in Dumfries is to close. In a statement from the trust, they said: “It is with a heavy heart that we, the Trustees, announce the imminent closure of the Peter Pan Moat Brae Trust and Visitor Centre in Dumfries town centre. “We have reached… Read more »

Twenty-two funding applications from Dumfries and Galloway projects have been successful.

The Just Transition Commission are visiting Dumfries and will be undertaking a series of visits and hosting a number of roundtables on Thursday and Friday 22nd and 23rd of August. On the afternoon of the 23rd, there is an invitation to their final roundtable.  The Just Transition Commission is in an independent group that advises… Read more »

We are delighted to welcome new leads for both Communities and Sector Support and Children, Young People and Families. Joanna Jones has started as our Lead for Communities and Sector Support and heads our team of development and support officers whose roles include building sector capacity, collaboration, leadership, good governance, sustainability, planning and volunteering. Before… Read more »

A funding programme worth a total of £347,015 is now open across Dumfries and Galloway. Charities, constituted community groups, co-operatives, public sector organisations, small and medium-sized enterprises, community interest companies, and community benefit societies based within the region can all apply to round three of the region’s Community Led Local Development Fund. A Local Action… Read more »

A new Dumfries and Galloway Social Enterprise Grant Programme has launched for Realising Market Potential. The aim of this fund is to invest in social enterprises to grow the social economy in the region. There is a total of £50,000 available in the programme for projects with applications open up to a maximum of £5,000…. Read more »

Everyone at Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway is deeply saddened at the passing of our friend and colleague Sharee Donoghue. Sharee was our Lead for Employability, Skills and Learning and joined the organisation in November 2021. Since then, she built and strengthened relationships with partners and other third sector organisations using her experience of over… Read more »

The next round of the Community Led Local Development Fund in Dumfries and Galloway is on its way. The fund priorities locally will be: Small revenue grants will be available up to £5,000 and the main revenue and capital grants programme will open to applications up to £50,000. A Local Action Group (LAG) made up… Read more »

Four community asset transfers from Dumfries and Galloway Council and the lease of land at Agnew Park in Stranraer to a local charity have been given the go-ahead this week. Queensberry Garages in Sanquhar was the site for a successful transfer application from Sanquhar Enterprise Company. Located off Queensberry Square, the garages will be refurbished… Read more »

What do volunteers mean to Food Train? Volunteers are Food Train. The charity introduces us to some for Volunteers’ Week 2024. We’re so grateful to all those past, present, and future who care to give their time and effort to make Food Train services happen across Dumfries and Galloway. This celebration of volunteering week, we… Read more »

Third sector organisations are being invited to take part in the Welcome Week at The University of Glasgow, Dumfries Campus from September 16th-20th. The university is seeking enthusiastic stallholders for various fairs, held daily from 9.30am to 2.30pm in the Rutherford McCowan Building on the Crichton Campus. Here’s what is planned for the week: Monday,… Read more »

As we celebrate the 40th anniversary of Volunteers Week, we are taking a look closer to home and featuring some of our own staff who volunteer for local organisations in their spare time. Richard Rennie, is our Locality Development Officer in Nithsdale, and volunteers as a cricket club coach. He said: “I recently moved back… Read more »

With the General Election due to take place on July 4, Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway has made the difficult decision to postpone our development conference ‘Build Innovate Sustain’ until later in the year. The election announcement has brought with it insurmountable logistical hurdles that require us to reschedule, to ensure the event can fully… Read more »

Dumfries and Galloway Citizens Advice Service profiles two volunteer generalist adviser for Volunteers’ Week 2024 Andrew Nyondo: Volunteer Generalist Adviser “Volunteering makes me feel like I am making a contribution to society.” Andrew Nyondo is a Volunteer Generalist Adviser at the Dumfries Bureau of Dumfries and Galloway Citizens Advice Service. Originally from Nigeria, he first… Read more »

Young volunteers donate their time to Dumfries Y Gymnastics Club and are mentored through the Saltire Awards Scheme. With their passion for the sport, the fantastic team of 9 young volunteers work with the gymnasts weekly in their classes and help out at club discos and competitions.  We have had great success in mentoring our… Read more »

For #VolunteersWeek, we feature some of the projects and the valuable work of Castle Douglas Development Forum. Stepping Stones Community Larder Stepping Stones Community Larder and Foodbank has been operating as a foodbank for over three years and more recently, as a community larder open to all, for almost a year now. They have an… Read more »

For #VolunteersWeek, we feature Stewartry Dog Training Club, which was established in 1987 to provide people in the Stewartry and surrounding areas with an opportunity to train and learn with their dogs. The club also runs classes for puppies to help new owners, is registered with the Kennel Club and runs the Kennel Club Good… Read more »

Volunteers have always played a key role in our club structure throughout the years, more so now than ever. As our club continues to grow, the commitment and dedication from our volunteers is extremely valued. In our four-piece competitive section, we have Lorna and Lisa, who volunteer numerous hours weekly to help our gymnasts and… Read more »

The success of The Devil’s Porridge Museum is attributed to our dedicated volunteers, who come from all age groups. Our volunteers support different areas of the museum, from reception and the museum’s cafe, to supporting our collections, research projects, and clubs, as well as educational and holiday activities. In 2023, they provided activities and events… Read more »

A pledge by the First Minister to eradicate child poverty in Scotland has been welcomed by Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway (TSDG) with a call to invest in the sector’s work in communities. In his statement to the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday, First Minister John Swinney made it clear that ending child poverty was the… Read more »

The 40th anniversary of Volunteers’ Week is fast approaching, taking place from June 3-9. Once again, Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway would love to help you showcase your volunteers throughout the week. We will be featuring the region’s amazing volunteers (including some of our own staff) across all our channels and hope you will want… Read more »

Elizabeth Sykes has worked as Manager of the Dumfries and Galloway Citizens Advice Service’s Stranraer Bureau since 2008.

Dumfries and Galloway Council in partnership with DG Unlimited has made grant awards totalling £50,000 from the Dumfries and Galloway Regional Arts Fund 2024/25. Thirteen local groups across the region are benefiting from the fund this year. Frank Hayes, Chair of DG Unlimited, the independent charity that champions the region’s arts, said: “DG Unlimited is proud… Read more »

Third sector organisations are invted to deliver free activities for vulnerable children and young people aged 5–16.

The plan will be used to help tackle inequalities and build a thriving economy over the next 10 years.

The Usual Place in Dumfries and seven other organisations in the region will benefit from a share of over £15 million of National Lottery funding which will help to keep vital local services running. The funding, made possible by National Lottery players, means that many community and voluntary sector groups will be able to continue… Read more »

Rosie McLuskie will succeed long-serving Michelle Carruthers in the role from April 1.

Food Train has secured top marks for the way in which the charity supports its volunteers to make a positive impact on older peoples’ lives. The Dumfries-founded organisation has been awarded Investing in Volunteers (IiV) status, recognising its high standards for good practice in how it works with its volunteers. Food Train’s operations are supported… Read more »

Disclosure Scotland is consulting on the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme fee waivers, discounting and accredited body fees.

Parents and families experiencing hardship can access essential items they need for their baby and toddler for free. 

The successful applicants were selected through an independent scoring panel.

The substantial sum directly contributes to the well-being of Carers and the individuals they care for.

Fledgling enterprises in Dumfries are being offered the chance to trade for free on the High Street. The opportunity to make use of The Smithy from Fridays until Mondays is part of a package of support being made available for start-ups through a Pop-up Enterprise Hub initiative aimed at providing a springboard to success. Led… Read more »

A Local Action Group made up of representatives from the third, public, and private sectors decided what applications were successful.

The £2.6 billion UK Shared Prosperity Fund succeeds the old EU structural funds.