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MP Welcomes Funding Awards for Local Groups
Gordon MP Richard Thomson has welcomed a round of funding announcements from the Scottish Government’s Rural & Island Communities Ideas into Action (RICIA) fund which sees a number of local groups benefitting.
The fund encourages and supports not-for-profit community groups with innovative approaches to community-led local development, including work towards net zero and just transition goals, tackling rural poverty and supporting rural communities through the cost-of-living crisis.
Commenting, Richard Thomson MP said:
“I am delighted for the four organisations concerned. These are substantial awards which can help make a real difference to their local communities.
“I’m always keen to look at ways of encouraging more funding applications from community groups and organisations to take advantage of what’s available and ensure that North-east communities benefit as a result. As a first step, I am happy to provide a letter of support for constituted groups who are making or considering making funding applications.
“In the coming months, I will be hosting an online event with a major lottery funder which aims to provide some insights to community groups as to what is available and how to frame a successful application and I will be publicising that shortly.”
Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon MSP said:
“We are working to ensure local communities are empowered to tackle local challenges.
“This investment comes at a critical time for our rural and island communities, who are disproportionately impacted by the cost-of-living crisis compared to the rest of the country.
“I wish all the successful community groups well as they now look to take forward these projects and make a positive difference to their local areas.”
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Note: Funding recipients in Gordon Constituent are:
Huntly Development Trust £60,370.00
To refurbish a vacant dilapidated space in the heart of Huntly town centre into a high-quality centre focused on enterprise, skills development, training and learning opportunities and leisure and recreational activities, specifically the fit-out of the community café.
Oldmeldrum Green Growing Space SCIO £85,699.15
To develop a community allotment through delivery of groundworks, materials and structures they need in order to open it to their community waiting list for use at the end of March 2023.
Balmedie Congregational Church £3,325.00
To purchase a generator and materials for their Pilot Warm Place Project, which is in response to growing concern for the safety of the community from their local community trust in relation to a lack of services for blackouts, which had occurred last winter, and the rising cost of living.
Potterton Congregational Church £4,450.00
To undertake a feasibility study to explore the idea of the local village pavilion being transformed into a community facility and transferred from Aberdeenshire Council into community ownership.
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