Forth Haven among those benefiting from Clyde wind farm funds

People experiencing a range of life-limiting illnesses in rural South Lanarkshire will benefit from a £58,645 award to the Haven, the new purpose-built centre in Forth.

The money will help it expand its services.

Janice Williams, chief executive of the Haven, said: “The funding will help us to develop the new centre in Forth as a hub from which we can reach out to communities across Clydesdale, being there for people at all stages of illness – at diagnosis, during treatment and providing bereavement support for families.

“The funding will help to develop the centre as a resource for local communities, working with organisations and community groups to make a difference and support a wide range of health and wellbeing initiatives.”

Others given grants include Crawford and Elvanfoot Community Council. It’s receiving £85,727 to install equipment in the village hall, to encourage more use of it.

Paradventures, the charity founded by ex-Lanark lord cornet Gordon McGregor, gets £31,852 to buy specialist wheelchairs and to deliver outdoor learning for disabled youngsters at schools.

There is £45,173 for Lanark-based Clydesdale Community Initiatives to help those experiencing food poverty, health inequalities and social exclusion. The social enterprise, is creating a community kitchen at its new base at Langloch Farm.

Community Volunteers Enabling Youth, a group working with vulnerable young people through befriending and activities, receives £62,649; Routes to Work South gets £60,000 to deliver a programme to support excluded school pupils; Skills Exchange Scotland, providing training for young people in Clydesdale, receives £37,750; and Leadhills Parent Council gets £20,000 to develop extra-curricular projects to encourage lifelong learning.

and provide work experience.

SSE and Clyde Wind Farm Ltd created the Sustainable Development Fund as part of its community benefit arrangements from its wind farm in the area around Abington and Crawford.

The fund supports projects covering employability, community empowerment, or the enhancement of the environment.

Decisions on the final awards were made by an independent panel led by former First Minister Lord Jack McConnell.

Panel chair Lord McConnell said: “In this first round of funding for South Lanarkshire, we were delighted to support innovative projects that will improve services for vulnerable people living in rural areas, and improve skills so that local young people can find jobs.”