£50,000 pat on the back for Carluke Trust

The extra Scottish Government funding should guarentee the survival of the Carluke Development Trust for at least a further three years.

In its short history the Trust already has projects such as the Market Square facelift and annual Ham and Jam Festival under its belt and it plans to transform the town’s historic but derelict High Mill into a major tourist attraction.

The extra cash from Holyrood is being seen as a reward for its efforts so far and a message to the Trust to keep up the good work .

The money is coming from the Scottish Government’s Strengthening Communities Programme, last week boosted by an extra half million pounds to £2.5 million for towns like Carluke to run their own regeneration projects.

The Carluke Trust is one of only two groups in South Lanarkshire to get a share of the extra funding,

Clydesdale’s MSP Aileen Campbell was obviously delighted by the vote of confidence in the Trust.

She said: “The increased investment in the fund is a welcome step for groups who are taking control of their own areas and producing opportunities for communities.

“Here in Clydesdale we’ve seen the great example of the Carluke Development Trust and its High Mill project.

“I’m pleased to see the Development Trust on the list of organisations expected to continue receiving from the fund. Thanks to the dedication of members, the group sets a national example of ways in which communities can take the future of their area into their own hands.”

The Trust’s development manager Kathleen Feeney said: “This increased funding is crucial to us as it provides much needed continuity in our capacity to deliver on our ambitions for both our ‘commonty’ project and the High Mill.

“Both projects are key to the sustainability of the Trust and our ongoing endeavours to make Carluke a better place in which to live, work and to enjoy.”