Fourteen awards were made to community groups and individuals from the Whiteside Hill Community Fund last month. In total, £62,952 was awarded to projects benefitting people living in Kirkconnel, Kelloholm and Sanquhar.
Among the projects supported was a grant of £9,640 to the Kirkconnel Miners Memorial Centre Management Committee to contribute to the costs of upgrading their disabled toilets and foyer area and replacing worn out chairs.
£5,483 was awarded to Sanquhar-based Friends of Clark’s Little Ark to pay for improvements to the children’s play area. The group hopes this project will make the site more secure and accessible for users.
Community events and festivals across the region will be brightened by the Upper Nithsdale Youth Pipe Band’s new uniforms. A grant of £12,000 will enable the group to purchase 35 complete kilt outfits for use by existing and new members.
The Whiteside Hill fund can also award grants to individuals of up to £250. Three such grants were made in this funding round, supporting participation in the Dumfries & Galloway Space School project, participation in golf tournaments and the development of an Upper Nithsdale Poetry Trail.
A full list of grants awarded in January 2020 is below:
| Applicant | Project Description – Summary | Awarded |
| Kirkconnel and Kelloholm Development Trust | To pay for equipment and hall hire for school holiday activities for children and families to improve the scope of what the Nithsdale Community Food Sharing Group could offer and to attract older children. | £1,150 |
| Kirkconnel and Kelloholm Development Trust | To contribute to the costs of creating a new inclusive playpark. | £16,000 |
| Friends of Clark’s Little Ark | To pay for improvements to the children’s play area so that it is more secure and accessible for users. | £5,438 |
| Kirkconnel Old Peoples Welfare Committee | To contribute to the running costs of the Cabin Lunch Club which provides isolated older members of the community a chance to interact with others and engage in social activities which they would otherwise most likely be excluded from. | £1,000 |
| Kirkconnel Miners Memorial Centre Management Committee | To contribute to the costs of upgrading the disabled toilets and foyer area and replacing worn out chairs. | £9,640 |
| Nigel Henderson Court Social Tenant Participation Group | To contribute to the cost of social trips and entertainment for residents for one year. | £500 |
| Nithsdale Wanderers Football Club | To replace all external windows and doors in the sports facility to make them wind and watertight. | £6,960 |
| Sanquhar Sewing Bee | To purchase a long armed quilter machine which will enable the group and wider community to undertake quilting projects. | £6,500 |
| St Brides Short Mat Bowling Club | To purchase two new bowling carpets and insurance to replace mats which are old and have become very worn. | £2,214 |
| Miss Beth Currie | To contribute to the costs of participating in Dumfries and Galloway Space School. | £250 |
| Ms Alice Deville | To contribute to the creation of an Upper Nithsdale Poetry Trail exhibition including maps and stitched poems, to be displayed in Sanquhar during the 2020 arts and literature festival with a view to promoting the area, its history and culture. | £250 |
| Mr Taylor Kerr | To contribute towards the costs of competing in amateur golf tournaments in Scotland next season. | £250 |
| Upper Nithsdale Model Maker Club | To support to the costs of meeting premises hire costs for one year to enable the club to become established and potentially grow in membership. | £800 |
| Upper Nithsdale Youth Pipe Band | To purchase a full set of 35 uniforms for new and existing members the Pipe Band. | £12,000 |
The next application deadline for the fund is Thursday 30th April for a decision in July. More details on how to apply are available on the Foundation Scotland website, including a downloadable fund factsheet and application form.
https://www.foundationscotland.org.uk/programmes/whiteside-hill/
Application forms are also available from Kirkconnel Resource Base, Kirkconnel Heritage Society, ADCA Accountants, Sanquhar and Tolbooth Office, Sanquhar or by contacting
