WIREDGOV

Plans to relocate The Ecology Centre in Fife to a new sustainable building will now go ahead, thanks to a £920,849 award from the Big Lottery Fund, announced recently (21 November 2014).

The organisation, based on the east shore of Kinghorn Loch, will move from their current premises to a nearby site that will enable them to continue providing much needed education space, meeting rooms and office space for local organisations. The new centre will also provide a range of training and volunteering opportunities for young people in the area.

General Manager, Julie Samuel, said “We are absolutely ecstatic to have been awarded this grant as it means that The Ecology Centre can continue to provide its services to the community.

“At one point it looked like we were going to have to relocate to a site 10 miles away which would have meant working with a whole new community. This award means we can continue to involve the people and volunteers who are a huge part of the Centre already and have helped it to become what it is today.

“It also means that local, young, unemployed people will continue to have opportunities to gain the skills and knowledge to get into employment.  It’s very exciting to have a purpose built, environmentally friendly Centre to operate from, enabling more people to be involved in a more comfortable environment. “

Announcing the funding, Big Lottery Fund Scotland Chair, Maureen McGinn, said: “We know from our Growing Community Assets experience, that ownership of an asset can bring long lasting benefits to communities, including creating jobs and developing local services. I am delighted that today’s award will enable The Ecology Centre to continue to be based within the local community of Kinghorn where it will provide a range of increased social and economic opportunities.”  

The recent award comes from the Big Lottery Fund’s Growing Community Assets fund which supports communities to take control and influence over their own future through the ownership of assets. More detail on the programme is available at:-
www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/prog_growing_community_assets

Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 0141 242 1451
Website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk
Twitter: @BIGScotland #biglf 
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BigLotteryFundScotland

Notes to editors

• The Big Lottery Fund is responsible for giving out 40% of the money raised by the National Lottery.
• The Fund is committed to bringing real improvements to communities and the lives of people most in need and has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK. Since its inception in 2004 it has awarded close to £6bn.
• In the year ending 31 March 2013, 28% of total National Lottery revenue was awarded to projects. Since the National Lottery began in 1994, £31 billion has been raised and more than 400,000 grants awarded.