PR Grant Awards 2021-R4 Published on 17th December 2021


PRESS RELEASE CNSF2021PR041 (17/12/2021)

CNSFUND AWARDS FIVE NEW GRANTS

The Caithness & North Sutherland Fund has committed over £58k to five community projects in a recent round of grant awards.

The Seafarers Memorial Group has been granted £20,710 towards the costs of commissioning the design and construction of a seafarers memorial that will be sited overlooking the Wick harbour bay.  The memorial is intended to be a traditional monument structure and the design will be informed from community consultation.

Seafarers Memorial Group Treasurer Allan Tait  said “We are delighted to be awarded this grant which takes us up to our £100,000 target.  We have been overwhelmed by the support shown from the community and businesses throughout the WK registry area.  The North of Scotland has always had a great tradition of people working at sea but that has come at a great cost with many lives being lost.  Up until now there has been no memorial to mark those lost and this was the challenge we set ourselves.  The memorial will provide a focal point for quiet reflection and remembrance as well as raise awareness of our seafaring heritage.  It will also serve as a legacy monument for future generations that will link the past with the present.  We are now asking artists to provide designs and look forward to working with the community to finalise our plans in the New Year.” 

Other grants include Castletown Football Club being awarded £20,917.58 to help with the costs of refurbishing its clubhouse pavilion.  The refurbishment will bring the building up to modern standards to create a warm, attractive and inviting community facility.  The improvements will include a new roof, electrical rewiring, new heating and showers as well as internal insulation and redecoration.

Melvich Community SCIO was awarded £7,446 towards land acquisition costs in relation to land adjacent to the old Melvich hall site.  The additional land will enable the charity to progress with the design and build of a new a multi-functional community hub facility.

Wick Academy Football Club saw £7,500 being granted to help with the costs of a new football pitch mower.  The new mower will assist the club with maintaining its football pitch facilities to the high standards required, providing a quality social and recreational amenity for the area.

Tongue, Melness and Skerray Wildlife Group is to receive £1,785 to assist the group with creating a North Sutherland wildlife group website that will promote the local wildlife and natural environment of the North Sutherland area.

Gillian Coghill, CNSFund Chairperson said “These latest grant awards help to enhance our social and recreational amenities as well as promote our maritime heritage and natural environment.   We are pleased to be able to support these worthy projects and we encourage groups to continue coming forward with impressive proposals that will enhance the Caithness & North Sutherland area.”

The CNSFund was established to distribute a £4M funding package provided by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority as a result of the low-level waste facility built near Dounreay.  Grants are distributed in line with the NDA’s socio-economic policy with applications being assessed on a quarterly basis.  Further information about the CNSFund and how to apply can be found at www.cnsf.org.uk, Facebook or by contacting the Fund Coordinator David Shearer on enquiries@cnsf.org.uk  Tel: 07841 204 982.