big lottery fund

Motion: September 2012 Big Lottery Fund Awards

Jean Urquhart MSP

Motion S4M-04439: Jean Urquhart, Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 09/10/2012

September 2012 Big Lottery Fund Awards in the Highlands and Islands
That the Parliament congratulates the projects that have been awarded funding by the Big Lottery Fund in September 2012 in the Highlands and Islands; notes that 31 projects from across all eight constituencies in the region were awarded funds totalling £620,085; understands that, as well as smaller awards for discrete projects, this month’s awards included a £358,054 grant to Skye and Lochalsh Community Care Forum for a five-year Transforming Lives project; considers each award, regardless of its size, to be vital for third sector organisations to carry out community work; believes the continued support for organisations that encourage children to take up sport and the arts to be of particular value, and commends the Big Lottery Fund for the breadth of grants allocated.

Motion: Highlands and Islands August Big Lottery Funding

Jean Urquhart MSP
Motion S4M-04152: Jean Urquhart, Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 17/09/2012
Highlands and Islands August Big Lottery Funding
That the Parliament welcomes the five awards totalling £43,589 made to projects in the Highlands and Islands by the Big Lottery Fund in August 2012; notes that four of the five awards have gone to projects promoting healthy living through sporting activity under the 2014 Communities banner; understands that the money awarded to projects such as Scalloway Youth Centre Trust and Duirinish Youth Club will be spent on obtaining new sporting equipment; further understands that the other award, to Youth Highland, will be used to train 40 new youth leaders to run youth clubs across the Highlands; acknowledges that every award has gone to a project involving young people; considers this investment in Scotland’s children’s future and wellbeing to be worthy of commendation, and congratulates the projects on their success.

Motion: Big Lottery Fund June Awards to Highlands and Islands

Jean Urquhart MSP
Motion S4M-03607: Jean Urquhart, Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 09/07/2012
Big Lottery Fund June Awards to Highlands and IslandsThat the Parliament welcomes the continuing support given by the Big Lottery Fund to community projects across Scotland; notes in particular that, in June 2012, over £2 million of funding was granted to projects big and small in the Highlands and Islands; recognises the substantial sums awarded to three schemes under the second stage of the Investing in Communities programme in the Highlands and Islands, namely Isle of Luing Community Trust, Golspie Recycling and Environmental Action Network and the SHIRLIE project; understands that these projects aim to develop the Atlantic Islands Centre in Cullipool, create 19 new sustainable jobs and help adults with additional support needs to find jobs respectively; lauds the combination of numerous small grants and larger grants to 49 other projects across the Highlands and Islands in both island communities and small towns and villages; considers these grants to be vital to the existence of such projects in difficult economic circumstances, and looks forward to more projects across the country benefiting from schemes such as the Big Lottery Fund.

Press Release: Local MSP Welcomes Continued Support for Highlands and Islands Projects

Jean Urquhart MSP

Jean Urquhart MSP has welcomed the latest statistics from the Big Lottery Fund which have shown 52 grants totalling over £2 million being awarded to projects across the Highlands and Islands.

The £2 million granted includes 3 large grants given to the Isle of Luing Community Trust, Golspie Recycling and Environmental Action Network and the SHIRLIE project totalling just over £1.6 million.

Commenting, Jean Urquhart said:

“It is particularly heartening when, at the start of every month, I see sums of varying sizes being awarded to worthwhile projects across the region.

“Although the three largest awards are undoubtedly welcome boosts, it must not be forgotten that ostensibly small sums can make a huge difference too.

“For example, the £2,000 grant awarded to Foula Primary School in Shetland will enable primary school children from the more remote areas of the Islands to participate in a mini-Olympics, helping to bring together communities in a way that may otherwise have been impossible.

“I would once again encourage community groups and projects across the region to apply for sources of funding like the Big Lottery Fund.”