ANNAN community groups will receive funding boosts thanks to the Community Led Local Development Fund.
Newstart Recycle’s Baby and Toddler Project has received £3650 which will provide essential items like clothing and pushchairs to families in need.
Annan The History Town Group will get £4980 to go towards creating a public art centrepiece with traditional blacksmithing workshops to engage the community.
And the town’s bowling club will scoop £400 to enhance the safety for elderly members by purchasing bowl gatherers and replacing slippery mats.
Springholm’s Memorial Hall Committee’s community food hub project will receive £3906. This will help restore the hall as a community hub and establishing a community pantry to support residents.
In total, 34 projects across Dumfries and Galloway shared £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 £2.2 million.
A Local Action Group (LAG) made up of representatives from the third, public, and private sectors again decided what applications were successful. The LAG was supported by Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway (TSDG).
Harry Harbottle, chairman of the LAG, said they were pleased to be able to offer the grants to organisations across the region. “Many of these groups, mostly run by volunteers who are champions in their own communities, are in crisis dealing with vulnerable people suffering the harsh effect of our economic situation,” he said.
“A good few of these grants were for under £10,000 illustrating that, even with relatively small amounts of money, we can make a big difference and demonstrate value for money with the public purse.
“Unfortunately, the fund was seriously oversubscribed meaning that we could not help all the deserving causes. We are hoping that this fund will be continued next year at a level more commensurate with the need we see across Dumfries and Galloway.
“We will continue to lobby government to make that happen.”
