Funding blow for clean-up group
Regeneration team lose out on £8000 grant
The Regeneration of Eaglesham’s Environment (TREE) have been angered after they saw a huge portion of their funding cut.
TREE organisers had requested a grant of around £8000 from the East Renfrewshire Council windfarm grant to help them in their work but have been turned down - leaving their plans over the summer in the lurch.
The TREE team had previously received a grant in 2012 which has helped fund them until this point, and it was hoped the grant this year would keep the group going for a further two years.
Now they hope to organise fundraisers to bring in the money needed to keep the group going this summer.
Every year the group fill the planters around the village with new and bright plants.
They also hold weeding and tidy up days around the village, in particular around the bus stops.
A major achievement of TREE saw them bring new life to a run down bus shelter outside the Eglinton Arms Hotel as they painted a mural on the shelter and planted 2000 daffodil bulbs.
A spokesperson for the group told the News of their frustration: “At first we were angry, but now we are just disappointed.
“It has been months since the deadline for the application and we have been left waiting, but to find this out leaves us with very few options.
“It’s not like we have been taking huge amounts, just enough to keep us going, and we wouldn’t apply again for a couple of years.
“There is a lot that needs done to keep the village clean, like cutting trees at the Orry and weeding, but we were told that the grant will not be given to maintenance groups.
“We will just have to pick ourselves up and put our heads together to come up with other ways to raise money.
“If anyone knows of other grants or can help us fundraise I urge them to get in touch with us.”
Following the letter being sent to TREE, an East Renfrewshire Council spokesperson told the News: “We understand TREE’s disappointment at hearing the funding decision.
“The panel considers each application carefully and this year has awarded seven small organisations grants totalling £140,000 from the Whitelee Fund to support projects that provide community benefits for local people.
The range of projects receiving a boost include, in Eaglesham, £20,000 to upgrade the toilets for disabled users at Eaglesham Bowling Club and £20,000 to enable Eaglesham Parish Church to carry out guttering, kitchen and window works.
“Other projects to benefit include £30,000 to help Uplawmoor Development Trust install new play and adult exercise equipment, £18,000 for Greenbank Parish Church to carry out works that include fitting gas boilers, radiators and convector heaters, funds for Woodfarm Cricket Club to buy equipment, 1st Barrhead Scouts have been given money to replace toilets, install new disabled toilets and replace flooring, and Our Lady of the Missions will receive funding to build an outdoor learning and picnic area.”