LEADER funding grants total over £450,000

Ten projects across Dumfries & Galloway received a pre Christmas boost with funding from Rural Dumfries & Galloway LEADER.  At the LEADER Local Action Group meeting in December the members were delighted to be able to support projects with grants totalling £452,748.82, bringing the total amount of funding awarded to projects across the region to just over £2 million.

Cathy Agnew, Chairman of the Local Action Group for Dumfries and Galloway, said:

‘The LEADER team, based in New Abbey, are currently working with more than 60 different projects across the region which they have been able to assist through the application process.  It’s very rewarding and exciting to be able to follow an idea from inception to completion and to see it come to life where it makes a very real difference in a community.’

The projects supported in December range from Dumfries & Galloway Arts Festival Development post which will expand on the work carried out by the Arts Festival across the region.  Dame Barbara Kelly said” The Board of Dumfries and Galloway Arts Festival is  delighted that the D and G LEADER Programme has agreed to support the work of the Festival as it  continues to seek to grow new audiences , find new rural venues  and bring top class performers into the region.  Once again the LEADER programme is demonstrating the importance of supporting initiatives committed to working at the heart of small communities not only for the benefit of local people but also enhancing the offer to visitors to Dumfries and Galloway”.   Pip Tabor of Southern Uplands Partnership is delighted that “D&G LEADER have approved funding for the Building Opportunities in the Biosphere project. This exciting project will work the agencies, communities and businesses within the proposed Biosphere in Galloway and Southern Ayrshire. It will raise awareness, enhance understanding and help communities and other stakeholders develop projects of real benefit to the area based on the high quality environment. It will play a vital role in establishing and developing the Biosphere at the grass roots level. We anticipate that UNESCO will accept our application for Biosphere status sometime in 2012”. And, Lucy Carlow of Paddlers for Life Scotland SW expressed their delight at receiving funding, “This will help us realize our project to get Dragon Boats on Loch Ken and encourage people to take up paddling as a new and exciting way to keep fit. We are particularly keen to encourage people to take part who, for different reasons, would not perhaps feel confident joining a more demanding sporting group, perhaps after illness or due to lack of physical exercise.

Dragon Boating is a sport suitable for many ages and abilities and we look forward to welcoming any one keen to try out the sport in the beautiful setting of Loch Ken.’

Rural Dumfries & Galloway LEADER are keen to hear from any communities who are seeking funding to realise their project dreams, contacting them at Rural House on 01387 850228.

Contacts:

Nicola Hill

Rural Dumfries & Galloway LEADER

Tel: 01387 850228

Email: Nicola.hill@dumgal.gov.uk

Promotion of Angling across Dumfries & Galloway    £17,056.90

Jamie Ribbens

Galloway Fisheries Trust

Tel: 01671 403011

Taking the Classroom to the Countryside     £4,014

Fiona Jamieson

RHET Dumfries & Galloway Countryside Initiative

Tel: 01576 300142

Building Opportunity in the Biosphere    £72,501.50

Pip Tabor

Southern Uplands Partnership

Tel: 01750 725154

Dragon Boats on Loch Ken    £16,951

Lucy Carlow

Paddlers for Life SW Scotland

Tel: 01556 504552

Making the Most of the Moorland    £47,850

Judith Johnson

The Langholm Initiative

Tel: 013873 80914

Capacity 4 Change   £195,360

Ros Halley

D&G LEADER LAG

Tel 01387 850228

D&G Carnival Arts   £5,840

Alan Thomson

DG Arts

Tel: 01387 253383

Eskdalemuir Community Hub   £40,319

Nicholas Jennings

Upper Eskdale Development Group

Tel: 01387 702009

Festival Development Post   £10,760

Dame Barbara Kelly

D&G Arts Festival

Tel: 01387 260447

Xcel Project – Why Try?    £42,096.42

Duncan Elliott

Langholm Youth & Community Project

Tel: 013873 80886