WIREDGOV

People living in some of Scotland’s most remote island communities will benefit from Lottery funded community assets thanks to the latest grants announced yesterday (WEDNESDAY 5 MARCH) by the Big Lottery Fund.

An award of £1,196,913 means that Camuscross & Duisdale Initiative will be able to build a brand new community hub for the villages of Camuscross, Duisdale and the surrounding area in the north east of the Sleat peninsula on Skye.  Once built, the centre will host a shop, cafe and multi functional meeting and activity space. This will offer employment and training opportunities for local people.

Chair Mark Wringe, said, “This Big Lottery Fund award is not just towards building this stunning facility in a stunning location but it will also support the development of a fully self sustaining Social Enterprise business. At the moment our community has no place to meet and socialise that is accessible to all and we already have a long list of people and groups who want to run a huge range of activities and events. Local tourist businesses strongly support us and are glad to see something else that makes visitors want to linger a bit longer and learn more about life here. We even hope to run the Hub on green energy generated by a community hydro scheme.  Taing mhor – a big thank you to the Big Lottery Fund.”

Islay Community Wind Turbine receives an award of £240,000 for its community renewable energy project. This will enable three communities of Islay, Jura and Colonsay to work together to develop the wind turbine and to earn an income from the electricity generated which will be distributed amongst the three communities.  The money also means that the group will be able to employ a Home Energy Advisor who will offer support and advice to households who are in fuel poverty or require energy efficiency advice.

Project Officer, Lindy MacLellan, said, “Islay Energy Trust has been working on the Islay Community Wind project for the last four years with the aim of providing community benefit from renewable energy generation. This award from the Big Lottery Fund will help us do just that and will also help to support the creation and administration of the Community Benefit Fund in its early years. The Fund will provide around £80,000 per annum for distribution within the communities of Islay, Jura and Colonsay. Priority will be given to support for local community businesses, support for local organisations and the establishment of an energy advice service which will include the provision of small grants to aid those in fuel poverty.”

Announcing today’s funding, Maureen McGinn, Big Lottery Fund Scotland Chair, said: “Today we are investing over four million pounds to seven Scottish groups to provide additional support and services for individuals, families and communities in greatest need.  Our Growing Community Assets fund enables local communities to have more control and influence over their own future.  Through today's awards to Camuscross & Duisdale Initiative and Islay Community Wind Turbine, another two of Scotland’s most remote communities are being helped to acquire assets which mean they'll become more sustainable in the long term and I wish them every success as they take forward their plans.”

Also today the Big Lottery Fund is announcing £110,805 to 12 groups across Scotland from its Investing in Communities programme. The full list of projects is available here.

For more information regarding this release please contact:
Lorna McNiven, Communications Officer
Big Lottery Fund Scotland
0141 242 1451 |  | lorna.mcniven@biglotteryfund.org.uk

For more information on Big Lottery Fund Scotland (including programmes and grants awards):
Visit: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/scotland
Ask BIG: http://ask.biglotteryfund.org.uk/help/scotland
Call: Big Advice Scotland: 0300 1237110

• Big Lottery Fund is the largest distributor of National Lottery good cause funding, is responsible for giving out 40% of the money raised for good causes by the National Lottery.
• Big Lottery Fund is committed to bringing real improvements to communities and the lives of people most in need and has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK. Since its inception in 2004 BIG has awarded close to £6bn.The Fund was formally established by Parliament on 1 December 2006.
• Since the National Lottery began in 1994, 28p from every pound spent by the public has gone to good causes. As a result, over £30 billion has now been raised and more than 400,000 grants awarded across arts, sport, heritage, charities, health, education and the environment.
• The Scotland Committee has been making Big Lottery Fund decisions on Scottish projects since March 2007.  As well as taking devolved decisions on Lottery spending, the Committee, led by Chair, Maureen McGinn, has and will continue to play a strategic role in the future direction of BIG in Scotland.
• The Big Lottery Fund is investing in Scotland’s communities through its Investing in Communities portfolio, as well as the small grants schemes Awards for All, Investing in Ideas, Communities and Families and 2014 Communities.