Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Spotlight on village history
The history of four Airdrie villages will be showcased thanks to a new project supported by £200,000 of lottery funding.
Residents in Caldercruix, Greengairs, Plains and Upperton will be encouraged to uncover details of their areas’ industry, agriculture, traditions and natural environment with the assistance of a new heritage officer from the Rural Development Trust (RDT).
Community grants will then be available for projects such as training in research, oral history gathering, storytelling, interpretation, paths and trails, filming or event management in order to celebrate and share their work.
The £ 200,000 funding is being provided by the National Lottery’s heritage fund and follows an application made after neighbours in the villages compiled local action plans last year.
RDT Commu n i t y Action Lanarkshire team manager Kirsten Robb said: “Residents’ hard work in preparing their action plans identified various projects to improve local people’s lives and formed the basis of this successful application.
“Commu n i t i e s in Caldercruix, Greengairs, Plains and Upperton will lead the exploration, enjoyment and protection of local heritage for all, with the support of a heritage plan, project officer and small grants scheme.”
Meanwhile, Culture NL is also benefiting from the latest round of funding awards – with £ 10,000 being granted to help the organisation further develop its website “which gives open access to one of the finest industrial history collections in Britain”.
Caroline Clark, the heritage fund’s director for Scotland, said: “The challenges we’ve faced over the past few months have highlighted how important the sense of community is.
“This funding will help bring people together to explore, share and celebrate what is particularly special to them, thanks to National Lottery players – and in doing so, will build connections, resilience and pride.”
North Lanarkshire is described as a “priority area” for the heritage fund, which is also supporting the Seven Lochs project that includes Lochend and Woodend lochs in Drumpellier park, Garnqueen loch in Glenboig and Johnston loch in Gartcosh.
Applications for support ranging from £ 3000 to £ 10,000 are now open with information being available by emailing scotlandcontact@ heritagefund.org.uk
The fund is particularly keen to hear from “those heritage sector organisations which have so far been unable to access Covid-19 emergency funds, and those seeking to re-engage communities in heritage activities”.