More than £20,000 awarded to Galloway Glens Heritage Projects

This month the Galloway Glens Partnership board awarded more than £20,000 to six projects up and down the Ken/Dee valley through the second round of the ‘Our Heritage’ Small Grants Scheme. Recipients of the awards varied from Scout Groups to Visitor Centres and all contribute to the Galloway Glens aim of connecting people to their heritage.

Speaking about the awards, Galloway Glens Team Leader, McNabb Laurie, said:

“The ‘Our Heritage’ Small Grants Scheme is a great way to engage with and support smaller projects that meet the scheme criteria and allow visitors and locals to experience and understand the amazing heritage of Galloway. We are well placed to harness the potential of the local heritage to drive economic development and support sustainable communities. Many thanks as always to the National Lottery Heritage Fund Scotland, and lottery players across the UK, for their funding and also thanks to partners such as Dumfries & Galloway Council’s Environment Team and the Galloway & Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere for making the scheme happen.

The volunteer input going into the range of projects we support is awesome and I am constantly amazed at how much time and effort the people of Galloway put into supporting projects that will benefit us all.

The next deadline for applications to the Small Grants Scheme is 11^th November and anyone interested in applying should visit the Galloway Glens website www.gallowayglens.org for details.“

The awards made in the second round of funding are as follows:

• £3,509 awarded to Heart of Galloway Visitor Centre. This award will support efforts to make improvements to the interior of this very popular community-run visitor centre, improving the experience for visitors and locals who are seeking information about activities, events and local attractions.

Sarah-Jane Allsopp, Chair of the Castle Douglas Development Forum, said:

After a successful first year at Heart of Galloway Visitor centre, we are now focused on developing the service we offer. This funding will allow us to further promote the vast larder of local produce available in Dumfries and Galloway to visitors.  We also aim to improve the energy efficiency of the building which will reduce costs long term and help ensure the sustainability of the project.

• £4,600 awarded to Parton Community Council. Supporting efforts to raise the profile of James Clerk Maxwell. There will be short entertaining talks, demonstrations and interactive exhibits. Visitors will see and hear how his work is valid today and continues to change the modern world.

A representative of Parton Community Council, said:

James Clerk Maxwell has rightly been labelled as ‘the man who changed the world,’ yet the tale of the man who grew up and spent much of his adult life in the Ken/Dee valley while producing theories which have provided us radio, television, radar, microwaves, and thermal imagery to name but a few is a largely untold one.  Our project aims to shine a light on a giant of Physics who drew much of his inspiration from his stunning surroundings right here in Galloway.

• £5,000 awarded to the Glenkens Men’s Shed. A focus on local metalwork techniques, drawing on the local engineering/agriculture legacy. This project will purchase a number of pieces of equipment that will facilitate the handing down of these heritage skills to the next generation.

Chris Jowsey, from the Glenkens Men’s Shed, said:

“The Galloway Glens funded Men’s Shed Metal Workshop Project will be brilliant for the Glenkens!  Its legacy will be a well-equipped, safe and secure workshop with the ability to help preserve and build traditional skills, enabling the Shed to attract more members from the local community and help combat rural isolation. The project puts the building blocks in place for developing the Shed in support of the Smiddy’s Heritage Hub aspirations to provide opportunities for youngsters whilst offering the local community a chance to maintain their rural skills. It’ll also help make the Shed more financially sustainable and give existing members new and exciting prospects for their own projects”

• £5,000 to the CatStrand Singers. Exploring the musical and song history of Galloway, creating a new body of work and, where possible, drawing parallels with songs from other cultures.

Lis Lewis, from the CatStrand Singers, said:

“We were so excited when we heard we’d got the Galloway Glens funding!  It means a lot that we can go ahead with our Project, and especially that Nicola, our Music Director, will now be able to write and arrange more music for us.  It makes us feel special.”

• £1,750 to the Castle Douglas Scouts. Taking the scouts down the length of Loch ken by Kayak to study the history and ecology of the Ken-Dee valley, culminating at Parton Kirk to learn about the significance of the life and work of James Clerk Maxwell on our modern world.

Paul Hodson, from Castle Douglas Scouts, said:

“The Scouts are delighted with this award. This will be a real education and leave them with new skills and knowledge for life. Should be fun too!”

• £481 to Glenkens Community & Arts Trust. ‘The Final Shift’ event, to be held in Carsphairn, explores the history of the local mining industry and will include a performance from a full silver band. This will offer something special for Carsphairn’s new programme of activities and allowing the Glenkens community to explore this aspect of their heritage.

Aidan Nicol, Arts, Culture & Heritage Manager at the CatStrand, said:

“The Final Shift is an ambitious heritage arts event which CatStrand are working on in partnership with community members in Carsphairn as part of a new Lagwyne Events programme of live events in the village- the funding from Galloway Glens will enable us to bring folk singer Josie Duncan to the area to perform her creative response to the decline of mining industries and the families it has affected accompanied by the Newton Grange Silver Band and incorporating recordings of miner’s families interviews. Through this special event we are hoping to engage people in the Glenkens, particularly in Carsphairn, Sanquhar and Kirkconnel with this aspect of their heritage.