WIREDGOV

A unique community arts project is the first in Lincluden and Lochside to secure funding from the Big Lottery Fund’s Our Place initiative.

The Stove Network yesterday (THURS 13 OCT) received £269,265 for its Creative Futures project which will bring local people together to develop their creative talents and to have a bigger voice within their local community. Over the next four years, the project will recruit a team of creative volunteers who will co-design a range of expressive arts activities delivered for and by the whole community with the support of a full time Creative Development Worker.

Welcoming the Our Place award Matt Baker from The Stove Network, said: “Everyone involved with the project is just delighted in this vote of confidence in our local community by the Big Lottery Fund. Creative Futures Lincluden and Lochside is all about local people using our heritage and culture to improve quality of life for everyone and making opportunities for developing new skills and jobs. It is also a means for North West Dumfries to draw in resources from the wider area, and already people are coming forward to discuss great new partnerships for the future. Watch out for exciting announcements very soon!”

Announcing the funding, Big Lottery Fund Scotland Chair, Maureen McGinn, said yesterday: “Today the people of Lincluden and Lochside reach an important milestone as they celebrate their first Our Place award.  Our Place gives local people a say on how Lottery money should be spent in their area, so the ideas and inspiration for the Creative Futures project come directly from people living in and around the local area.  And key to the success to this project will be the involvement of local volunteers who will benefit from new skills and improved confidence.”

A number of local people known as Community Connectors have been heavily involved in talking to residents, gathering ideas and encouraging community-led activity.

Community Connector Carole McCann has been engaged in the development of the Creative Futures project. She said: “I am delighted to hear that one of our bids for a new creative project led by The Stove Network has been successful. Our area boasts extensive green spaces, abundant wildlife and has an important historic site on our doorstep. It is a great place to live and with this injection of funding, determination and hard work I am certain it will be an even better one in the future.”

For the latest details on the Lincluden and Lochside Our Place journey visithttps://www.facebook.com/ourplacelochsidelincluden

Our Place is currently working with seven communities across Scotland, one of which is Lochside and Lincluden in North West Dumfries. Our lace supports communities to develop a common vision of how their own area could develop and grow, and how Lottery Funding could support these changes. 

More on the programme can be found here: https://bigblogscotland.org.uk/tag/our-place-2/

Big Lottery Fund Press Office contact:   
Telephone: 0141 242 1458
Email: landa.sullivan@biglotteryfund.org.uk
Website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk
Twitter: @BIGSCOTLAND #biglottery
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BigLotteryFundScotland

Notes to Editors:

• The Big Lottery Fund supports the aspirations of people who want to make life better for their communities across the UK. We are responsible for giving out 40% of the money raised by the National Lottery and invest over £650 million a year in projects big and small in health, education, environment and charitable purposes.
• The Big Lottery Fund Scotland is focussed on helping people and communities most in need throughout Scotland through its five-year £250m funding scheme as well as small grants schemes Awards for All and Investing in Ideas.
• Since March 2007 Big Lottery Fund Scotland has taken devolved decisions on Lottery spending, the Committee, led by Chair, Maureen McGinn plays a strategic role in the future direction of the Fund in Scotland.
• Since June 2004 we have awarded over £8 billion to projects across the UK that change the lives of millions of people. Every year we fund 13,000 small local projects tackling big social problems like poor mental health and homelessness.
• Since the National Lottery began in 1994, £34 billion has been raised and more than 450,000