YMCA Team 15 scoop Prince’s Trust award

National prize recognises work of community group after 12-week skills development programme

A Perthshire community organisation took home a top prize at a national awards night.

Perth YMCA’s Team 15 won the Stagecoach Group Community Impact Award at the Prince’s Trust gala night in Glasgow.

The group received recognition for its work in building a mother and toddler learning garden and a social dinner space for teenagers at Logos youth centre in Crieff.

The YMCA members were taking part in a 12-week programme set up by the Prince’s Trust to improve confidence and employability skills for young people without work.

The awards night recognised the achievements of young people who had succeeded against the odds, improved their chances in life, had a positive impact on the local community and played a part in supporting the works of the trust.

James Millar, Perth YMCA Team 15 member, said: “We were looking for a project that would not only make a difference to our community but would challenge and stretch our skills.

“The work at Logos ticked both boxes.

“We met with the Logos project manager and then started calling local companies for material donations.

“We got everything from paint from a Dulux shop, some old bus seats supplied by Docherty’s Midland Coaches and some fabric from local shop Snip, Tack and Sew.”

Lindsay Reid, Stagecoach group senior communications manager, said: “It was fantastic to present this award to the Perth YMCA Team 15 for the amazing work they did in designing and delivering this great new community space.

“The young people involved showed great vision and excellent teamwork and organisational skills to deliver this project and they should all be very proud of themselves.

“We’d like to congratulate the team on this award and wish them every success in the future.”

The prize comes after Perth YMCA won permission to demolish a Perth church earlier this year.

Charity bosses plan to bulldoze the 130-year-old St Andrew’s and St Stephen’s Church on Atholl Street, and pave the way for a new operations centre and 21 flats.

The move was criticised by Historic Environment Scotland but the heritage authority has since said it will not stand in the way.

We were looking for a project that would not only make a difference to our community but would challenge and stretch our skills