Community projects across the north and Moray are to benefit from a share of more than £1million to help make their ventures a reality.
Dozens of voluntary and community groups across the region have been awarded grants ranging from £300 to £10,000 from the National Lottery Award for All Scotland scheme.
Members of the Nairn Sailing Club have secured an £8,000 funding boost through the scheme towards the purchase of a vital safety vessel.
The rigid vessel – which will incorporates a drop down bow will be used to help secure the safety of club members on water based activities, helping to retrieve and rescue them from the water in times of distress.
The group – based on the harbour front – are hoping to purchase the vessel before the end of the month.
Commodore David Bushell said: “Nairn Sailing Club is delighted that we have secured £8000 to help towards the cost of a new safety boat.
“This will allow us to purchase a new rigid type safety boat that will be used to support dinghy sailing at the club and other water based activities such as the raft race, remote beach cleans and general water events.
“The safety boat is for club use but as all users of boats do, if someone was seen in difficulty we would help out.”
Meanwhile, in Moray, Archiestown Village Council has received a £7,074 grant in support of renovations to the community’s village hall.
New flooring will be installed throughout the 250-year-old building on North Lane in the coming months.
Council Chairwoman Sheena Ledingham said the upgrades are desperately needed to replace the “appalling” surface currently in place.
She said: “You have no idea how much of a difference this will make because at the moment the flooring is just appalling. I don’t know when it was put down but I think a lot of it is linoleum as opposed to vinyl and that shows you how old it is. Hopefully the renovations work will start in August and they seem to think it will be through in three weeks.”
A total of 167 groups across Scotland have so far received a share of the £1,107,301 prize pot.
A National Lottery Awards for All Scotland spokesperson said: “With summer in full swing, today’s £1.1 million funding boost will provide a wide range of community, sport and arts activities for people and families across the country. This funding will have a huge impact bringing people together to have fun, learn new skills and meet their neighbours.”
