WIREDGOV

Plans to transform two Camelon parks for the benefit of local families recently received a welcome cash boost from the Our Place programme.

Tamfourhill Tenants and Residents Association and Communities Along The Carron Association (CATCA) are both sharing in £279,480 of National Lottery cash from the Big Lottery Fund.

Tamfourhill Tenants and Residents Association will use its £149,500 award to build a Roman-themed play park that will replace the existing play park at Tamfourhill Community Hall. The theme has been chosen as the site is adjacent to the route of the Antonine Wall.

Welcoming the Our Place award Lynne Boslem, Treasurer of Tamfourhill Tenants and Residents Association, said: "The committee are over the moon to receive the award for our area. The money will allow us to provide a much needed resource that will benefit everyone in the community. The play park will help to promote physical wellbeing, as well as a safer place for the children in the area. We are excited to share the news with the community and work with them further to develop the project."

Thanks to their £129,980 Our Place award, Communities Along The Carron Association will now be able to redevelop Nailer Road Park in partnership with Falkirk Council’s Development Services Environment Team. They will also deliver a volunteering programme and create a ‘Friends of Nailer Park’ group who will encourage and sustain community activity within the park.

Tom Gold, Project Officer at CATCA, said: “We are very excited to be working with local families who have shown great enthusiasm and dedication to the project. We will be delivering the improvements they have identified, including adding a path going all the way around the park, Trim Trail exercise equipment, three new items of fully accessible play equipment, and goal posts.

“As well as these physical improvements, we will be setting up a brand new ‘Friends of Nailer Park’ and offering lots of training to the members, including mini bus driving, First Aid, conflict resolution and outdoor skills. We believe the result will be a greatly improved park which people are proud to be actively involved in, and we would like to thank the Big Lottery Fund and Our Place Camelon for giving us this opportunity.”

Announcing the funding, Big Lottery Fund Scotland Chair, Maureen McGinn, said: “I am delighted that families and individuals living in Camelon will benefit from Our Place funding. The Our Place initiative gives local people a say on how National Lottery money is spent in their area and empowers them to bring about a positive lasting difference to their neighbourhood. I would like to congratulate Tamfourhill Tenants and Residents Association and Communities Along The Carron Association on their successful funding awards and wish them the very best with these projects which will help local people realise their visions for their communities.”

For the latest details on the Camelon Our Place journey visit https://www.facebook.com/ourplacecamelon/

Our Place is currently working with seven communities across Scotland, including Camelon. Our Place supports communities to develop a common vision of how their own area could develop and grow, and how National Lottery funding could support these changes.

Find out more about the programme

Big Lottery Fund Press Office contact:   
Telephone: 0141 242 1524
Email: scott.oakley@biglotteryfund.org.uk
Website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk
Twitter: @BIGSCOTLAND #BigScotland
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BigLotteryFundScotland

Notes to editors:

• Since the National Lottery began in 1994, £34 billion has been raised and more than 450,000 grants awarded.

• 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 National 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.