Cash boost for village groups

TWO BALLACHULISH community groups will enjoy a range of summer fetes and festivals, thanks to Lottery grants.

Ballachulish Community Association received a £ 8,592 Awards for All Scotland grant from the Big Lottery Fund. The group will use the money to replace tables and chairs and for new signs to advertise events. Friends of Abbeyfield Fundraising Committee, a group which supports residents of Abbeyfield House Care Home, received £10,000 from the fund. The committee will use the funding for a range of recreational activities to promote mental and physical well-being amongst residents.

A spokesman for The Friends of Abbeyfield Fundraising Committee said: ‘This grant has allowed us to design an activities package for residents and members of the community, especially those who have dementia. We have been able to bring practitioners to Abbeyfield specialising in sensory and physical activity allowing our clients the opportunity to reminisce and to become fully interactive with these fun activities.’

Ian Blackford, MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber, said: ‘I am delighted with the news that a small community such as Ballachulish is being so proactive in seeking and gaining funding to the benefit of those living in the area.

‘My congratulations also go to Ballachulish Community Association which is active in promoting the village and encouraging local people to get involved through various events.’

An Awards for All spokesperson told The Oban Times: ‘It’s easy to see what a difference Awards for All can make to communities the length and breadth of Scotland.

‘The programme exists to help groups do things they would otherwise be unable to do, and for relatively small amounts of money. This latest batch of grants showcases the range of applications we get, all of which are putting something back into their communities.’