Sue Restan
A remote Highland community’s plans to build a new play park for local and visiting children has taken a major step forward with a £10,000 donation from the Communities and Families Fund.
The award to Glenelg and Arnisdale Development Trust forms part of a £511,412 pay out to 83 community groups across Scotland by the fund, which is a joint venture between the Big Lottery Fund and the Scottish Government.
Tina Martin, who is a director of the trust, said the play park project was expected to cost £80,000 to £100,000.
She said: “We are delighted to have been awarded £10,000 from Big Lottery Communities and Families.
“Our existing play area in Glenelg has equipment that is well used and dated and the site is prone to flooding.
“We want to create an attractive, stimulating, safe play park in the heart of the village, which will be accessible to both locals and visitors alike.”
Mrs Martin added that, about a year ago, they asked local children if they wanted a new play park and what they would like to see there and the youngsters were very enthusiastic about the proposal.
She pointed out that they also get a lot of tourists visiting the area, whose children would also benefit from improved facilities.
So far, the trust has raised around £31,500, including the latest award.
They have had £10,000 from Awards for All, £2,500 from the Highland Council ward budget and the local community has raised about £9,000.
Other Highland and island community groups that received awards in the latest round of Communities and Families Funding were £10,000 to Abriachan Forest Trust for forest activities for parents with young children and £9,996 to North of Scotland Childcare Association to develop a community space in Wick for children and families to meet, learn and play.
The Crafthub Community Interest Company on Orkney received £2,925 to pay for a sessional worker, rent, toys, books and games and Ness Sport and Recreation Association on the Western Isles was awarded £1,576 for a summer holiday playgroup for three to six-year-olds.
Tarbert After School Care in Argyll was given £3,994 to put on two weeks of summer activities for the children it looks after during the year.
