Laurencekirk Memorial Park have become the latest big winners from Scotmid Co-operative’s Community Connect initiative in the north of Scotland – being awarded funding of £15,000 to add much-needed facilities.
Scotmid launched the initiative last year to help support charities, community projects and good cause groups continue the valuable work they do in communities and previous £15,000 award winners include Dundee’s Eighteen and Under and Highland Cycle Ability Centre.
The funding for the initiative, which sees local groups win a share of £25,000, is generated from the sale of single-use carrier bags to support their ongoing work in the local area.
The other Community Connect award winners were Pillar Kincardine, who were awarded £7,500 and Inverness Foodstuff, who scooped £2,500.
Scotmid members collected votes by swiping their Community Connect card after every in-store purchase and then voted for their preferred good cause group either in the shop or by attending last night’s Ordinary General Meeting at Brechin (Tuesday 2 October).
Laurencekirk Memorial Park group will put the funding towards improving the park, including plans for a unisex, disabled access toilet to be constructed.
Laurencekirk Memorial Park’s Peter Reid said: “This is fantastic news for the Memorial Park and the funding of £15,000 from Community Connect will help us to bring our plans to life.
“The Memorial Park should be a space for all, and that’s why we plan to use the funding to build a unisex, disabled access toilet, with an adjoining storage unit.
“This is something which the local community is really behind and the fact we can now make this plan a reality is a real boost for the local community.
“Huge thanks to all the Scotmid members, who voted for us – it will make a massive difference to our local area.”
Scotmid Co-operative Director Sheila Downie said: “Congratulations to Laurencekirk Memorial Park and all the latest Community Connect award winners.
“This was our third Community Connect awards in Scotmid’s North Region – local charities have now benefited from £80,000 funding – and, once again, the vote was extremely close, so thanks to all our members who helped to determine the outcome.
“Our core purpose is to serve our local communities and improve people’s everyday lives and Community Connect goes towards enabling us to achieve that objective.
“We very much look forward to seeing these projects come to life and working together to improve the quality of life for people in our local communities.”
The short-listed Good Cause Groups for the next cycle of Community Connect funding will be announced next week and the award winners will be announced at Scotmid’s Annual General Meeting in April.