Charities celebrate £189,000

A record number of West Lothian charities have shared £189,000 after a recent Community Choices vote that local residents were encouraged to take part in.

The funds come from The Place Based Investment Programme which is a Scottish Government capital fund for local authorities to allocate to projects which look to improve and enhance local communities.

West Lothian Council invited community organisations to submit applications of between £5000 and £25,000 which supported community-led capital projects with over 4400 votes being cast.

The winning projects are detailed below:

The Larder: Changing Lives through food – £25,000; ReConnect SCIO: Howden Park Centre Old Stables Entrance – £23,500; Spark: Community Hub Security – £16,500; Murieston Tennis & Sports Clubs: Livingston South Community Sports & Wellbeing Hub New Facilities – £25,000; Livingston Shed: Expansion of Mosswood Community Workshop & Garden Services – £8,000; Play Works: Pirate Ship – £25,000; Bathgate Community Education Centre Association: Upgrading Kirkton Pavilion – £25,000; Stoneyburn & Bents Future Vision Group: Outdoor Play Improvement at Foulshiels Park – £13,507; Artlink Edinburgh & Lothians:

Boghall Community Cooking & Growing – £22,400; Whitburn & District Community Development Trust: Community Garden Workshop – £5,093.

Executive councillor for economy, community empowerment and wealthbuilding, Kirsteen Sullivan said: “Thank you to everyone who engaged in this process. It is of vital importance that we work in partnership with communities and businesses to build a strong local economy which supports fair work, encourages local spend and uses the land and property we own for the common good.

“Congratulations to all the groups who have successfully received funding and I look forward to seeing how they positively impact their respective communities.”