Community groups across Scotland are celebrating thanks to National Lottery funding totalling £1,116,821.
And they include eight projects based in the Scottish Borders.
The funding comes from National Lottery Awards for All Scotland which makes grants from £300 to £10,000 to voluntary and community groups across the country.
Local groups to benefit from the latest round, announced in February, are:
- The Bridge, Galashiels – £10,000 to buy an eleven-seater vehicle for their community transport service for people who are unable to use public transport or have difficulty accessing services.
- Health in Mind – £9,967 to run a Recovery College in Galashiels, providing a safe learning environment for people experiencing mental health difficulties.
- Galashiels Community Council – £9,890 to enable the group to engage a specialist designer to plan and cost out a network of recreation trails on a site which has been offered for community use by a local landowner.
- Peebles Community Centre – £9,795 to continue to run a free weekly craft class for vulnerable and isolated older people living in Peebles and Innerleithen.
- Selkirk High School – £9,661 to carry out a range of mentoring training opportunities, as well as conservation and bicycle repair activities with disengaged S3 and S4 pupils.
- In2Venture – £9,150 to allow the Hawick organisation to develop part of its premises to create an archery field, which will be used by schools and youth groups.
- Chirnside Common Good Association – £4,650 to run a community event which will commemorate Jim Clark, the F1 racing driver, who had links with the village.
- Gala Water History and Heritage Association – £875 to run a community programme for local children and local people which will investigate the history of the local church in Stow.
A National Lottery Awards for All spokesperson said, “This is National Lottery money in action, reaching into communities across Scotland making a real difference to the people who live there. The 154 groups receiving funding today showcases the range of projects that can be funded through this programme and the difference that the smallest amounts of money can make.”