The Cairngorms Trust has awarded grants under the Scottish Government supported Cairngorms Community-Led Vision Fund. The fund was available to apply for in the summer and had 26 applications.
22 projects from across the Cairngorms National Park were selected totalling £301,477 in funding for projects: from supporting the community-owned toilets in Grantown-on-Spey to St Margaret’s Church in Braemar.
Education, support, and skills for young people in the Cairngorms featured highly in the awards, with grants for IRL Education in Kingussie; Cairngorms Youth Local Action Group; Strathspey Camanachd in Grantown; Cairngorm Ski Club; Countryside Learning Scotland’s pathways to rural work project; and Wild in Mind from Carrbridge.
Projects must be delivered before 10th March 2024 and grants were awarded based on supporting one or more of the following priorities:
- Build community capacity to facilitate and support local development
- Help the economy of the National Park to deliver Net Zero by supporting communities and existing businesses (priority theme)
- Attract, support and retain young people in the National Park
- Increase community service provision in the National Park (priority theme)
- Cultural Heritage and Recreation – Creating a Well-Being economy
The full list of all the supported projects are below, but here’s a snapshot:
£22,000 to support the refurbishment and reopening of the community-owned Burnfield Toilets in Grantown-on-Spey. In addition to the provision of fully accessible toilets, there will be a motorhome waste disposal point on the site. The community took over the toilets after they were closed by Highland Council in 2018.
£15,920 to Back Country Biking in Aviemore, to set up a community-cargo bike scheme and a bicycle re-use scheme. These are aimed at the local community and will support the use of bikes as a cost friendly way of both exercising and transport.
Nancy Chambers, Trust Manager, Cairngorms Trust commented ‘It is exciting to see the breadth of community-based projects that have applied for this fund. The trustees had to make some very tough decisions as there were many more applicants than funds available. We are looking forward to seeing the projects that were successful continue to grow and develop resources for their communities within the Cairngorms.’
The Cairngorms Community-Led Vision Fund has distributed over £566,000 in funds since 2022 to community-led projects throughout the Cairngorms National Park.
Full List of Projects Support with the Cairngorms Community-Led Vision Fund
| Project | Grant Award | Description |
| Loch Insh Dry Ski Slope | £5,000 | Upgrading of the existing Dry Slope |
| Strathspey Camanachd, Shinty Development Officer | £4,000 | Support the employment of a Development Officer to increase participation in Shinty in Strathspey |
| Burnfield Toilets, Grantown-on-Spey | £22,000 | Refurbishment and re-opening of community owned public toilets in Grantown and the addition of a motor-home waste disposal point. |
| Grantown Remakery, Air Source Heating | £11,884.80 | Installation of air source heating for the charity premises in Grantown |
| IRL Education, Transition Project | £11,250 | Transition & training for young people through one-to-one mentoring and skills. The programme aims to give them a better chance of reaching a positive destination after school. |
| MAR Area Log Bank | £3,040 | To supply bagged firewood as a contribution to households in fuel poverty. |
| Badenoch Heritage, Storylands Sessions | £5,442 | Programme of community music and story events, celebrating local heritage including Gaelic, Scots, traditional music and stories and poetry from the Park area. |
| Grantown YMCA toilets & baby change facilities | £42,011 | Installation of a new toilet suite in the Centre |
| Somewhere: For Everyone + Cairngorms Pride Development | £15,000 | The launch of a designated LGBTQ+ inclusive space and schedule of events and activities. Cairngorms Pride community engagement and consultation. |
| Cairngorm Ski Club Coaching Pathways project | £7,557 | New coach training program to train and employ our current members as future club coaches. |
| Countryside Learning Scotland, Pathways to Rural Work | £9,939.48 | Rural education outreach programme for secondary schools that raises awareness, knowledge, training, and work placements within the entire rural sector, including the environment, conservation, traditional land uses and adventure and recreation. |
| Able2Adventure, Capacity of Outreach | £41,397.94 | Support for purchase of a van and trailer to transport equipment. Support to employ administration manager. |
| Fiona’s Wholefoods, Eco Café | £17,219 | A dedicated health & wellbeing space, eco café and eco meal kit scheme. |
| Grantown Business Association, Buy Local Campaign | £2,759.50 | This project will combine advertising and purchasing/installing items to smarten up the High Street to make it more appealing to shop locally and encourage visitors to stop when they are passing through |
| Back Country Biking, community cargo bike and backcountry academy | £15,920 | A cargo bike available to the local community. Similar to the model of a car club scheme offering short loans at low cost. Recycle bike scheme. |
| B&S Community ConneXions, Get Volunteering! | £5,000 | To support volunteer training costs. |
| Newtonmore Centenary Garden project | £5,519 | Concept design and preparation for the redevelopment of the village Centenary Garden |
| Wild in Mind, Wild Crew | £3,250 | Wilderness therapeutic programme for secondary schools |
| St Margaret’s Braemar | £27,450 | Volunteer knowledge exchanges and visits; and support for the development officer |
| Claire Macdonald Artist, Mend with a Friend | £5,808 | Social sewing events across the National Park. |
