An abandoned derelict school, a historic mill and a prominent community centre have been given a vital cash boost.
Three community projects in the Highlands and Islands have been awarded funding as part of a UK Government scheme aiming to breathe new life into derelict buildings.
These include initiatives all across Scotland – from John O’ Groats in the north to Portobello in the Central Belt.
Nine groups have been given a slice of the £2 million Community Ownership Fund to help them renovate sites that have fallen in disrepair or are under threat of closure.
This will ensure they continue to provide vital services in their communities, create new opportunities and boost the local economies.
UK Government minister for Levelling Up, Dehenna Davison, said: “We want people to thrive within their communities, and preserving their local institutions is a vital part of that.”
So which projects got the funding?
The trust behind efforts to turn the historic mill at John O’ Groats into a “fantastic community resource” has been allocated £300,000.
Volunteers have been hard at work to transform the B-listed building – the last of the great Caithness corn mills – into a heritage visitor attraction and community venue.
For the last three years, they have secured funding from various sources to aid their ambitious project and bring the site back in operation.
This includes repairing and refurbishing the mill, which dates back to 1750, and adding a new extension to the rear to serve as a reception and community space.
The local community in Stornoway has also received £300,000 to spruce up the town’s Laxdale Hall and make it a welcoming venue for events and functions.
Meanwhile, Clyne Heritage Society will use their share of the funding to redevelop the 19th Century Old Clyne School into a tourist destination for visitors from far and near.
This will aid their long-running bid to revamp the abandoned building in Brora and turn it into a community heritage centre.
Construction work has already began and the group hopes to open the new facility late this year or early 2024.
Helping local communities thrive
UK Government minister for Scotland, Malcolm Offord, praised the work the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has done to support local projects.
So far, more than £5m have been invested in 24 schemes across the country to help community take control of derelict building and turn them into valuable assets.
Mr Offord said: “It’s great news that a further nine Scottish projects are sharing £2.03 million from the UK Government Community Ownership Fund.
“Through the fund we are now supporting 24 community groups across Scotland to breathe new life into the places where they live, work and play.
“In total we are directly investing more than £2.4 billion in hundreds of projects across Scotland as we help grow our economy and level up the country.”
