Golfers may be unable to play during lockdown, but one famous club is still pitching-in to help the community response to Covid-19.
Each year, Royal Dornoch Golf Club donates thousands of pounds to local groups, using a percentage of the net green fees from visiting players.
With the club and most other groups closed during the coronavirus crisis, it was decided to release the funds to those helping the community response.
The Dornoch Area Resilience Project has now been given £5,000 for various projects, including providing every young person in the town with an activity pack.
Another £5,000 has been donated to the NHS in Sutherland.
In addition, the club has donated five tablet computers to Dornoch’s two care homes to enable residents to keep in touch with relatives during lockdown.
Royal Dornoch general manager, Neil Hampton, said: “We decided to distribute the club’s community fund to areas where it is most needed at this difficult time.
“We are proud members of this community and want to help our neighbours in any way we can.
“We usually spread the grants widely to help a number of local groups but, as most are currently closed during the lockdown, we felt it was best to divide them equally between the resilience group and the local NHS, who are both doing wonderful work.”
Dornoch has 2,300 residents, at least a quarter of whom are elderly, while there are also vulnerable families and individuals who are no longer working or self-isolating.
The resilience project has also started a food bank and is expected to make 150 deliveries a week.
Other help includes a hardship fund and a meals-on-wheels service which is being supported by local hotels.
Outreach worker Charles Minall said: “Royal Dornoch Golf club have been wonderful.
“We are so grateful for the funds and the care home staff love the tablets.
“This is excellent community support as always.”
The club’s community fund was set up five years ago to provide small grants of up to £500 to local groups, with the overriding criterion that money must be used to contribute to the common good of the local community.
Last year it distributed £10,500 to a range of organisations and the latest donations bring the total amount donated since the fund was set up to £50,000.
In addition, Royal Dornoch’s club captains also donate to charities.
Last year their fundraising efforts garnered more than £6,000, bringing the total over five years to £36,000.
Mr Hampton added: “We are delighted that both the community fund and the captains’ fund have been very successful in assisting a wide variety of good causes close to the club.”
