Major boost for Fife community groups from the Scottish Land Fund

Five projects across Fife are set to share in £446,012 following the latest round of funding from the Scottish Land Fund. The money will allow the groups to take ownership of local assets and put them to use for the benefit of their local communities.

Amongst the groups receiving funding is Edible and Tasty Spaces Rosyth (EATS Rosyth), which has been give £284,500 in order to buy the town’s former Clydesdale Bank Building in order to relocate and expand its cooking and food growing activities.

Stephen Lynas, Chairman of EATS Rosyth said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive this funding. This will allow us to push ahead with our plans to purchase the former Clydesdale Bank building, where we will be able to develop even further the important work and range of services being carried out in the community by EATS Rosyth.”

Crail Community Partnership has been given £41,500 to take over the village hall from Fife Council in order to continue providing sports and youth club activities.

Earlsferry Town Hall Ltd has received £42,500 in order to purchase the hall and operate it as a community hub.

Newburgh Community Trust has received £10,000 for the purchase of East Shore Park to expand its range of indoor and outdoor sporting activities.

And North East Fife Community Hub has been awarded £67,512 for the acquisition of St David’s Building in St Andrews from where it will run a range of services, including a food and clothing bank, as a way of supporting local people living with ill health, disability and social isolation.

These awards are amongst 29, totalling £3.6 million, shared by groups across Scotland in the latest round of grants from the Scottish Land Fund.

Land Reform Secretary, Roseanna Cunningham said: “The coronavirus pandemic has continued to set us all unprecedented challenges throughout 2020, acutely affecting local communities right across Scotland, and beyond.

“But despite these challenges – in fact, because of them - communities up and down the country are playing an increasingly vital role in maintaining and building our resilience, our spirit and local support networks.

“I commend the latest recipients of Scottish Land Fund grants for driving forward plans to support and enhance their local areas as part of our Green recovery, in what are clearly difficult circumstances. I am particularly pleased that, through what is the final round of funding for this year, the Scottish Land Fund is supporting such a high number of unique and diverse projects, and I look forward to these projects delivering on their ambitions in the new year.”

Sandra Holmes, Head of Community Assets at HIE, said: “These successful projects announced today are all great examples of people taking control of local resources for the long-term benefit of their communities. We wish all the successful groups the very best in their new ventures.”

And John Watt, Chair, Scottish Land Fund Committee, said: “The groups across Fife sharing in £446,012 of funding are now in a unique position to take control of land and property assets that will reap rewards for people now and for generations to come.”